Wasabi, or Japanese horseradish, is a cruciferous vegetable that grows naturally along streambeds in mountain river valleys in Japan.
Wasabi extract has been shown to have antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus, two of the most common bacteria that cause food poisoning. Naturally occurring compounds in wasabi called ITCs may have antibacterial properties against certain foodborne illnesses, as well as the bacterium H. pylori.
ITCs ⁠— the main active compounds in wasabi⁠ — have been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects in test-tube studies involving animal cells, ITCs have been studied for their ability to inhibit acrylamide production and kill or inhibit the growth of several types of cancer in test-tube studies.