Recently, I was unable to find my usual brand of California garlic. The Chinese garlic looked better than the last time I had tried it, so I took a chance. After using it in two casseroles, I was dismayed to find it had ruined the flavor of both dishes, having imparted an off taste. I smelled the garlic bulbs, and noted they had a chemical smell. Since then, I’ve learned that Chinese garlic is often bleached and loaded with pesticides. Remember that there is poor oversight of crops in China, and one cannot always be sure that Chinese garlic is not contaminated with lead, other heavy metals, and unsafe compounds.