How long should crushed garlic cloves rest before heat is added for maximum allicin formation?

ten minutes

A key insight regarding effective garlic preparation centers on maximizing the production of allicin before thermal deactivation occurs. If garlic is intended to be cooked, allowing the freshly crushed cloves to sit undisturbed for approximately ten minutes creates a critical window. During this brief resting period, the alliinase enzyme has sufficient time to convert alliin into the maximum possible amount of allicin. After this ten-minute interval, adding heat will begin to deactivate the enzyme, but the resulting therapeutic potential from the newly formed allicin will have already been established, serving as a compromise between maximum benefit and required palatability from cooking.