Products
Wasabi is commercially available as a spice powder (wasabi powder), as wasabi paste, and as a snack (e.g., peanuts, potato chips), among other products. The plant itself can also be purchased. The quality of the products is often low. Where it says wasabi, it often contains very little spice. To fake or enhance the green color, for example, the dye E 141 (chlorophyll) is added. Wasabi is seasoned with horseradish or mustard, which are sometimes contained in higher concentrations than the spice itself. Wasabi is of particularly high quality when the fresh shoots are prepared with a grater. However, fresh wasabi is very expensive and hardly available in Western countries due to its short expiry.
Stem plant
Japanese horseradish or from the Brassicaceae (cruciferous) family is a perennial and water-loving plant native to and cultivated in Japan. The fresh or dried shoot axis with the typical green color is used. This is not a rhizome or root, as is often stated.
Effects
Wasabi is used primarily for its pungent and slightly sweet taste. This is due to the mustard oil glycosides (glucosinolates), which are activated by the enzyme myrosinase to form isothiocyanates (structure: R-N=C=S). Wasabi is also pharmacologically active. Scientific studies have identified antitumor, antibacterial, antifungal, antiplatelet, and antioxidant effects, among others.
Usage
- As a seasoning and sauce/paste in Japanese and modern cuisine, e.g. for raw fish such as sushi/nigiri sushi and sashimi, and for soba noodles.
- As a seasoning for peanuts, potato chips and other snacks.
Adverse effects
Due to its pungency, wasabi is not suitable for children. It may irritate mucous membranes, eyes and respiratory tract and cause pain in the mouth.
