Enhancing quality and productivity of wasabi for use as a novel functional food in Canada

芥末是一种多年生常绿草本植物，属于十字花科，原产于日本。它的根（根茎）是一种备受尊敬和高度重视的调味品，可以给许多日本菜带来辛辣的味道。山葵促进健康的特性早在10世纪就有记载，当时它被认为是食物中毒的解毒剂，当与生鱼（寿司和生鱼片）一起食用时，它是一个有用的特性。山葵中含有丰富的硫代葡萄糖苷化合物，尤其是紫荆素，当山葵根茎被碾碎并制成糊状时，它们会被酶转化为刺激性的挥发性异硫氰酸酯（ITC）。这些ITC，特别是6- mitc（6甲基亚砜基己基异硫氰酸酯）已被证明具有药用特性，包括抗炎、抗癌、抗菌和抗哮喘的特性。因此，加拿大对高品质山葵的兴趣和需求不断增加。目前，加拿大山葵的产量有限，本战略提案的目标是促进山葵的发展，将其用作调味品、功能性食品和营养保健工业。需要解决的两个主要问题是需要高质量的种植材料和制定疾病控制战略，以尽量减少山葵的损失和质量下降。为大规模生产无病植株，将开发一种山葵分生组织-尖端组织培养方法。利用生物化学和分子方法监测组织培养植物的ITC水平和遗传变异。本战略项目将确定山葵根茎内部发黑和变色的原因，并确定管理策略。这项研究的结果将为加拿大提供一个新的农业机会，并为加拿大人提供一个独特的机会，使其成为一种具有潜在药理和营养保健应用的新型功能食品。它还应该提供一种新技术，用于提高山葵的质量，并在工业相关领域向三个HOP提供培训。

Wasabi is a perennial evergreen herb belonging to the Cruciferae family, which is native to Japan. It produces a root (rhizome) which is much-revered and highly valued as a condiment to pungently flavor many Japanese dishes. The health-promoting properties of wasabi were documented as far back as the 10th century, where it was believed to be an antidote to food poisoning, a useful property when served with raw fish (sushi and sashimi). Glucosinolate compounds, in particular sinigrin, are abundant in wasabi, and are enzymatically converted to pungent volatile allylisothiocyanates (ITC) when the rhizome is crushed and made into a paste. These ITC's, in particular 6-MITC (6 methyl-sulfinyl hexyl-isothiocyanate) have been shown to possess medicinal attributes, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial and anti-asthmatic properties. Hence, there is increasing interest and demand for high-quality wasabi in Canada. Production of wasabi in Canada is presently limited, and the goal of this Strategic proposal is to foster the development of wasabi for use as a condiment and for the functional food and nutraceutical industries. The two major problems to be addressed are the need for high-quality planting material and the development of disease control strategies to minimize losses and reduction in wasabi quality. A meristem-tip tissue culture procedure for wasabi micropropagation will be developed for large-scale production of disease-free plants. The levels of ITC's and genetic variability of plants derived from tissue culture will be monitored using biochemical and molecular methods. The identification of the causes of internal blackening and discoloration of wasabi rhizomes and identification of management strategies will be achieved in this Strategic Project. The results from this research will provide a new agricultural opportunity for Canada, and presents an exceptional opportunity to diversify into a novel functional food with potential pharmacological and nutraceutical applications for Canadians. It should also provide a new technology to be used to enhance wasabi quality and provide training to three HOP in industrially-relevant areas.