Detection of Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) Myrosinase Genes in Samples Containing Horseradish

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a traditional herb used mainly in Asia, Europe, and North America. Processed food products that include horseradish as an ingredient have been developed and produced. Here, we report on the detection of multiple myrosinase genes of horseradish that closely resemble each other. For amplification of each myrosinase gene, a primer was designed and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to obtain the horseradish DNA fragments (ca. 500 bp). PCR using the myrosinase gene primers obtained no corresponding DNA fragments of other species, including wasabi, radish, spinach, and pea. This amplification technique is therefore applicable for the specific detection of horseradish for processed food products.