Black garlic
Black garlic suppliers and sourcing guide
Black garlic is whole garlic, Allium sativum, held at warm temperature and high humidity for several weeks until the cloves turn black, soft and sweet through Maillard-type browning rather than microbial fermentation. It is sold as peeled cloves, whole bulbs, paste, dried powder, and water or ethanol extracts, sometimes standardized to S-allyl cysteine by HPLC.
- Category
- Botanicals and mushrooms
- Also known as
- aged black garlic · Allium sativum aged bulb · black garlic extract · heat-aged garlic
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of black garlic
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Whole bulbs and peeled cloves
Aged garlic sold whole or peeled for foodservice and retail.
Paste or puree
Ground aged cloves for sauces and seasonings.
Powder
Dried, milled black garlic for seasonings and capsules.
Standardized extract
Extract sold with a minimum S-allyl cysteine content by HPLC, usually on a carrier.
Organic
Made from certified organic garlic.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- S-allyl cysteine (HPLC)
- S-allyl cysteine for standardized extracts and powders, by a named HPLC method.
- Moisture and water activity
- For cloves and paste these govern shelf life and mold risk; for powder, loss on drying.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS.
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, E. coli and Salmonella, with Clostridium botulinum controls considered for paste and oil-packed product.
- Pesticide residues
- Multi-residue screen on the source garlic.
- Process contaminants
- 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and acrylamide, which form during long heating, if the buyer specifies them.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Keep whole cloves and paste sealed and cool, refrigerated if the supplier specifies; low-acid garlic products need the storage conditions the supplier validated. Powder and extracts should be kept sealed in a cool, dry place since they are hygroscopic. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification and retest of moisture and micro.
Lots and expiry dates
Aging time and temperature change sweetness, color and S-allyl cysteine content, so record aging conditions where available, origin and assay for each lot. Rotate perishable formats first-expired, first-out.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 184.1317 defines garlic as the fresh or dehydrated bulb or cloves of Allium sativum and affirms garlic and its derivatives as GRAS for use as flavoring agents and adjuvants; black garlic is not named separately.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists garlic extract with the technical effect flavoring agent or adjuvant, citing 21 CFR 184.1317.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Garlic natural health product monograph lists Allium sativum with the dried bulb as the source part.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Black garlic suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking black garlic suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell black garlic? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of black garlic can brands buy?
Common forms include whole bulbs and peeled cloves, paste or puree, powder, standardized extract and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for black garlic include?
Expect s-allyl cysteine (HPLC), moisture and water activity, heavy metals, microbiology, pesticide residues and process contaminants, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should black garlic be stored?
Keep whole cloves and paste sealed and cool, refrigerated if the supplier specifies; low-acid garlic products need the storage conditions the supplier validated. Powder and extracts should be kept sealed in a cool, dry place since they are hygroscopic. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification and retest of moisture and micro.
What is the regulatory status of black garlic?
21 CFR 184.1317 defines garlic as the fresh or dehydrated bulb or cloves of Allium sativum and affirms garlic and its derivatives as GRAS for use as flavoring agents and adjuvants; black garlic is not named separately. FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists garlic extract with the technical effect flavoring agent or adjuvant, citing 21 CFR 184.1317. Health Canada's Garlic natural health product monograph lists Allium sativum with the dried bulb as the source part.
More botanicals and mushrooms
- AshwagandhaWithania somnifera · Indian ginseng
- ElderberrySambucus nigra · black elderberry
- Green Tea ExtractCamellia sinensis leaf extract · Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze
- Lion's ManeHericium erinaceus · lion's mane mushroom
- MacaLepidium meyenii · Lepidium peruvianum
- TurmericCurcuma longa · curcumin
- Ginger rootZingiber officinale · ginger rhizome
- GarlicAllium sativum · garlic powder
- EchinaceaEchinacea purpurea · Echinacea angustifolia
- Milk thistleSilybum marianum · silymarin
- Saw palmettoSerenoa repens · Sabal serrulata
- Ginkgo bilobaGinkgo biloba · ginkgo leaf extract
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