{"id":2257,"date":"2012-11-06T11:34:47","date_gmt":"2012-11-06T16:34:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.allergy-details.com\/?p=2257"},"modified":"2012-11-29T15:05:36","modified_gmt":"2012-11-29T20:05:36","slug":"wasabi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.allergy-details.com\/ingredients-c\/wasabi\/","title":{"rendered":"Wasabi"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wasabi is an essential side dish for sushi.\u00a0 It should be gluten-free, but at some restaurants, it is reported to have gluten in it.<\/p>\n

There are actually two main types of wasabi: real wasabi (which is very rare, especially outside of Japan), and fake wasabi, which is what most people come across, most of the time.<\/p>\n

This has important implications for allergies in general, and gluten allergy or celiac disease in particular.<\/p>\n

Real Wasabi<\/h2>\n

Genuine wasabi is made from the root of a “Japanese horseradish”.\u00a0 It’s natural habitat is along mountain streams.\u00a0 It is difficult to cultivate, which is why it is in short supply.<\/p>\n

Wasabi is prepared by grating the root.\u00a0 It looses flavor after about 15 minutes.<\/p>\n

Wasabi is in the Brassicaceae family of plants, which includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, rapeseed, mustard, radish, horseradish, cress, and watercress.\u00a0 If you are allergic to most of these plants, you may be allergic to wasabi.<\/p>\n

As it is just a grated root, real wasabi is gluten free.<\/p>\n

Fake Wasabi<\/h2>\n

Most people outside of Japan experience an artificial version of wasabi, made from horseradish, mustard, starch and green food coloring.<\/p>\n

Like real wasabi, this version contains ingredients from the Brassicaceae family of plants.\u00a0 If you have allergies to these ingredients, you are more likely to have direct experience with the ingredients than with true wasabi.<\/p>\n

There is a chance that fake wasabi can contain gluten.\u00a0 I have two brands of wasabi sitting on my desk.\u00a0 One is made from horseradish, mustard and wasabi.\u00a0 It is basically dried real wasabi, cut (or boosted?) with other ingredients.\u00a0 The other is made from horseradish, mustard flour (ground mustard), cor flour, corn starch and food color.\u00a0 It should be gluten-free (unless the mustard is cut with wheat).<\/p>\n

Some restaurants tell me their wasabi contains gluten, so you should always ask.<\/p>\n

Do you have further information or insight into wasabi?\u00a0 Please leave a comment.<\/p>\n

Wasabi Links<\/h2>\n