Glucosinolates in Radish Cultivars

Intact roots of 109 radish ( Raphanus sativus L.) cultivars were analyzed for glucosinolates (GS’s) and found to contain primarily 4-methylthio-3-butenyl-GS with small amounts of 4-methylsulfinylbutyl-, 4-methylsulfinyl-3-butenyl-, and 3-indolylmethyl-GS’s. Cultivars included oil radishes (ssp. oleifera) and food radishes (ssp. radicola ) available in European, European-American, Japanese, and Korean markets. Regarding total GS’s, 80% or more of the red European-American radishes had 100-199 pmole/100 g, the Korean 100-299, and the Japanese 200-399. No correlation was found between root size and 4-methylthio-3-butenyl-, 3-indolylmethyl-, or total GS’s. Japanese radish peelings contained significantly greater concentrations of these 3 constituents than did the peeled root.