Though the ban on Chinese garlic is on for the last 5 years, till recently it was finding it's a way through grey channels to most of the Kolkatavendors. Chinese garlic is bigger and better looking than the Indian ones with larger pods that are easier to peel. But the wow factor comes with a price !

The Chinese garlic is bleached in Chlorine to make it white while sprayed with a fungicide containing methyl bromide. Both the chemicals are known to disrupt normal metabolism and result in severe stomach problems. Prolonged use may lead to cancer or other nerve diseases. Experts are also worried about the hormonal treatments done on garlic for the modified breed which may also have an adverse effect like hormonal imbalance and inflammation of kidney and UTI. Meanwhile, research says Chinese garlic varieties do not possess the same beneficial substances, mainly Allicin which makes garlic a wonder spice.

Till the supply was hit most of the consumers were blissfully unaware of the origin of the product and generally preferred the Chinese variety over the regular ones. With Coronavirus threat and abundance of local supply, most of the vendors have stopped stocking the chinese variety which led to the revelation. Garlic has been used as a medicine and flavoring agent all over the world for thousands of years. Records indicate that garlic was in use when the Giza pyramids were built, about 5,000 years ago.