How are garlic oil polysulfides formed from allicin?

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Garlic oil polysulfides are not naturally present in intact garlic cloves. Instead, they are formed through the chemical transformation of allicin—a thiosulfinate produced enzymatically when garlic is crushed—under the influence of water and heat, such as during the process of steam distillation.12

While allicin is the primary flavorant and biologically active compound initially generated from the precursor alliin, it is thermally and chemically unstable. When subjected to heat and water, allicin undergoes decomposition and rearrangement to produce a complex mixture of organosulfur compounds, specifically diallyl disulfide, trisulfide, and various other polysulfides represented by the general formula (CH2=CHCH2)2Sn, where n ranges from 2 to 8.2