Got Garlic Breath?

Whether you’re scent marketing a product, an experience, or yourself - it’s not just about using what works, but also about eliminating what doesn’t. Garlic, for example. Anybody who loves anybody who loves garlic will tell you that it’s a decidedly unlovely signature scent, and a nearly-possible one to mask. The persistence of garlic-stink, not just on the breath but through the pores, is due to a compound called allyl methyl sulphide (AMS) which cannot be broken down during digestion, and is so released from the body through breath and sweat. Even brushing your teeth and scrubbing with deodorant soap are no cure.

Fortunately, food scientists at Ohio State University have found an antidote that’s spectacular in its simplicity. In short - Got Milk?

In tests with raw and cooked cloves, milk was shown to significantly reduce concentrations of AMS. Full-fat milk provided better results than skimmed, according to breath samples taken from a volunteer given chopped cloves to eat during the experiments. It is thought that milk fat suppresses the sulphurous properties of garlic.

“The best results would be obtained if diners drank milk with their meal, rather than afterwards,” says Professor Sheryl Barringer, who carried out the study. “This will enhance the deodorizing effect and mask the odor of garlic flavour during eating.”

There are other foods which are thought to limit garlic breath. They include prunes, basil, aubergine and some varieties of mushroom - but milk was better at masking the volatile compounds responsible for the smell.

However, the researchers warn that it might be wise not to go overboard on the dairy products. There are many anecdotal reports from Japanese and Chinese visitors to the UK that Britons smell of ’sour milk’ due to their calcium-rich diets.