New research suggests that not all garlic is created equal when it comes to health benefits, with certain varieties demonstrating significant antiviral activity in laboratory studies. The findings, published in the Journal of Functional Foods (2024) and JSFA Reports (2026), show that specific garlic cultivars can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus entry into host cells.
Nick Diamantopoulos, founder of SupaG Health Pty Ltd, will unveil new garlic products at the renowned Gilroy Garlic Festival this July, based on these discoveries. The research, involving more than 300 garlic varieties from around the world, indicates that antiviral activity is linked to the garlic variety itself rather than growing conditions. "These findings fundamentally change the way we should think about garlic," Diamantopoulos said. "Different varieties possess different biochemical and functional properties, and in identifying these cultivars, we can open the door to entirely new categories of garlic health products."
The in vitro studies demonstrated that only a small subset of garlic exhibited meaningful antiviral activity, and the same cultivars were effective against both COVID-19 and influenza A. This suggests that the properties are variety-specific, paving the way for targeted nutraceutical applications. Diamantopoulos believes the discoveries may represent one of the most historically significant scientific developments in the garlic industry.
"The future of garlic nutraceuticals will not be commodity-based. It will be health-specific," he said. "We are moving from generic garlic products towards identified cultivars with targeted functional properties, proprietary formulations, traceable genetics and evidence-based health positioning."
The company is actively pursuing distribution partnerships, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical collaborations, and retail expansion opportunities. Throughout the Gilroy Garlic Festival, Diamantopoulos and the SupaGarlic team will be available to discuss the published research and commercial development plans.
According to the published research, biological activity likely depends on the underlying garlic cultivar, extraction methods, formulation techniques, and processing controls. This creates opportunities to develop intellectual property around identified cultivars and proprietary formulations for the nutraceutical, functional food, and pharma sectors. "This research establishes a scientific foundation for a new premium category within the health industry," Diamantopoulos said. "Gilroy is the ideal place to begin that conversation with the world."
