Researchers at Ohio State University have carried out the study and found that sipping milk with a spicy meal is an effective counter measure to garlic's lingering odour, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

In tests with raw and cooked cloves, milk was shown to 'significantly reduce' concentrations of the chemicals that give garlic its long-lasting smell.

One of the compounds -- allyl methyl sulphide (AMS) – cannot be broken down during digestion process, causing it to be released from the body in the breath and sweat, according to the researchers.

Although garlic is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol its notorious pungency puts many off including it in the diet.

Previous tests have found that even brushing teeth after a meal fails to solve the problem. Now, it seems, garlic-lovers can breathe a fresh-smelling sigh of relief.

Now, the researchers found that drinking a small glass of milk can reduce AMS presence on the breath by 50 per cent.