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

山葵是十字花科多年生万年青草本植物，原产于日本。它产生一个根（根茎），这是备受尊敬和高度重视的调味品，辛辣风味许多日本菜。早在世纪，芥末就被认为是食物中毒的解毒剂，与生鱼（寿司和生鱼片）一起食用时，它是一种有用的特性。芥子油苷化合物，特别是芥子苷，在山葵中含量丰富，当根茎被压碎并制成糊状物时，通过酶作用转化为辛辣的挥发性烯丙基异硫氰酸酯（ITC）。这些ITC，特别是6-MITC（6-甲基-亚磺酰基己基-异硫氰酸酯）已显示出具有药用属性，包括抗炎、抗癌、抗菌和抗哮喘性质。因此，加拿大对高品质芥末的兴趣和需求越来越大。目前，加拿大的芥末生产有限，本战略提案的目标是促进芥末作为调味品以及功能性食品和营养品行业的发展。要解决的两个主要问题是需要高质量的种植材料和疾病控制策略的发展，以尽量减少损失和降低山葵质量。为大规模生产无病植株，将开发山葵茎尖组织培养微繁技术。将使用生物化学和分子方法监测来自组织培养的植物的ITC的水平和遗传变异性。本战略项目将确定山葵根茎内部变黑和变色的原因，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，使其多样化为一种具有潜在药理学和营养学应用的新型功能性食品。它还应该提供一种新技术，用于提高芥末质量，并为三家HOP提供工业相关领域的培训。

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.