Why does garlic turn blue when mixed with lemon?

Garlic doesn't actually turn blue when mixed with lemon. It's a common misconception!

The color change you might be thinking of is a reaction between garlic and certain types of metal, like copper or stainless steel. This reaction causes the garlic to turn green or bluish-green.

Here's what's happening:

* Garlic contains sulfur compounds. These compounds are colorless when raw, but they react with certain metals.

* Copper and stainless steel react with the sulfur compounds. This reaction creates a new compound called copper sulfide, which is green.

* The green compound can appear bluish-green depending on the light and the amount of copper present.

Lemon juice itself doesn't cause this color change. While it's acidic, it's not acidic enough to react with the sulfur compounds in garlic to create the green color.

So, if you're seeing garlic turn blue or green, it's likely because of a reaction with metal, not lemon juice.