Bioactive Enhancement of Fish Sauce Using Black Garlic: Chemical Characterization and In Vitro Antiproliferative Activity

This study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical changes, antioxidant activity, and ability to inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep-3B) cells of black garlic under in vitro conditions, while also investigating the process of applying black garlic to the production of functional fish sauce. Fresh garlic was thermally fermented at with humidity for 35 days to convert it into black garlic. The analysis results showed that the fermentation process increased the reducing sugar content by 11 times (from 20 mg/g to 220 mg/g) and increased the antioxidant activity by 5 times compared to fresh garlic, with a value of .In anti-cancer tests, black garlic extract and S-allylcysteine (SAC) at a concentration of (calculated as SAC) showed a marked inhibition of Hep-3B cell line proliferation after 72 hours of exposure , through a mechanism of cell cycle arrest without causing immediate direct toxicity. Based on biological indicators, the study optimized the black garlic fish sauce mixing ratio at 3g black garlic/15mL fish sauce, achieving the highest sensory evaluation score and ensuring microbiological safety standards. These results help prove the value of black garlic as a potential ingredient for functional foods that support cancer prevention and health protection.