Identification of commercial prawn and shrimp species of food interest by native isoelectric focusing

Valorisation of prawn/shrimp shell waste through the production of biologically active components for functional food purposes

BACKGROUND

The aim of the work was to develop a technology for using waste from prawn and shrimp processing as a source of active ingredients that could be used in the promotion of healthy foods. From fresh and freeze-dried prawn and shrimp shells, protein hydrolysates (carotenoproteins) were obtained using two different enzymes, Flavourzyme and Protamex.

RESULTS

The obtained hydrolysates were characterised in terms of protein content, degree of hydrolysis, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The hydrolysate with the best antioxidant properties (FRAP value of 2933.33 μmol L-1 TE; ORAC value of 115.58 μmol L-1 TE) was selected and tested for its possible use as a component of functional foods. Molecular weight distribution, amino acid profile and free amino acids, the solubility of the hydrolysate in different pH ranges as well as foaming ability were determined. It was found that this hydrolysate was characterised by an amino acid profile with high nutritional value, flavour enhancement properties and excellent solubility in a wide pH range (from 97.06% to 100%). Afterward, the possibility of using carotenoproteins from prawn waste as a component of an emulsion with furcellaran and a lipid preparation of astaxanthin, taken from post-hydrolysate production waste, was investigated. The obtained complexes were stable as proved by the measurement of zeta potential (ζ = -23.87 and -22.32 to -27.79 mV).

CONCLUSION

It is possible to produce stable complexes of the hydrolysate with furcellaran and to emulsify a lipid preparation of astaxanthin, obtained from waste following production of the hydrolysate, in them. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Determination of adulteration, geographical origins, and species of food by mass spectrometry

Food adulteration, mislabeling, and fraud, are rising global issues. Therefore, a number of precise and reliable analytical instruments and approaches have been proposed to ensure the authenticity and accurate labeling of food and food products by confirming that the constituents of foodstuffs are of the kind and quality claimed by the seller and manufacturer. Traditional techniques (e.g., genomics-based methods) are still in use; however, emerging approaches like mass spectrometry (MS)-based technologies are being actively developed to supplement or supersede current methods for authentication of a variety of food commodities and products. This review provides a critical assessment of recent advances in food authentication, including MS-based metabolomics, proteomics and other approaches.

Proteomics as a promising biomarker in food authentication, quality and safety: A review

Adulteration and mislabeling have become a very common global malpractice in food industry. Especially foods of animal origin are prepared from plant sources and intentionally mislabeled. This type of mislabeling is an important concern in food safety as the replaced ingredients may cause a food allergy or toxicity to vulnerable consumers. Moreover, foodborne pathogens also pose a major threat to food safety. There is a dire need to develop strong analytical tools to deal with related issues. In this context, proteomics stands out as a promising tool used to report the aforementioned issues. The development in the field of omics has inimitable advantages in enabling the understanding of various biological fields especially in the discipline of food science. In this review, current applications and the role of proteomics in food authenticity, safety, and quality and food traceability are highlighted comprehensively. Additionally, the other components of proteomics have also been comprehensively described. Furthermore, this review will be helpful in the provision of new intuition into the use of proteomics in food analysis. Moreover, the pathogens in food can also be identified based on differences in their protein profiling. Conclusively, proteomics, an indicator of food properties, its origin, the processes applied to food, and its composition are also the limelight of this article.

Multiplex PCR Assay for Simultaneous Identification of Five Types of Tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis, Thunnus alalonga, T. albacares, T. obesus and T. thynnus)

There is a need to identify the species of similar types of fish, especially those that are commercially sold. Particularly, the price of tuna varies depending on its type, which is difficult to determine as they are sold in cut or processed forms. This study developed a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to identify the five most common tuna species: bigeye, skipjack, Atlantic bluefin, albacore, and yellowfin tunas. Newly designed species-specific primer sets for these five tuna species were created. Subsequently, the amplicon sizes obtained were 270, 238, 200, 178, and 127 base pairs for bigeye, skipjack, Atlantic bluefin, albacore, and yellowfin tunas, respectively. Each primer’s specificity was further tested using 15 other fish species, and no cross-reactivity was observed. To identify multiple targets in a single reaction, multiplex PCR was optimized to increase its resolution and accuracy. The detection levels of the multiplex PCR assay were confirmed to be 1 pg for all the five tunas. Additionally, it was successfully applied to 32 types of commercial tuna products. Therefore, this multiplex PCR assay could be an efficient identification method for various tuna species.

Mass spectrometry-based protein and peptide profiling for food frauds, traceability and authenticity assessment

The ever-growing use of mass spectrometry (MS) methodologies in food authentication and traceability originates from their unrivalled specificity, accuracy and sensitivity. Such features are crucial for setting up analytical strategies for detecting food frauds and adulterations by monitoring selected components within food matrices. Among MS approaches, protein and peptide profiling has become increasingly consolidated. This review explores the current knowledge on recent MS techniques using protein and peptide biomarkers for assessing food traceability and authenticity, with a specific focus on their use for unmasking potential frauds and adulterations. We provide a survey of the current state-of-the-art instrumentation including the most reliable and sensitive acquisition modes highlighting advantages and limitations. Finally, we summarize the recent applications of MS to protein/peptide analyses in food matrices and examine their potential in ensuring the quality of agro-food products.

Design a highly specific sequence for electrochemical evaluation of meat adulteration in cooked sausages

A specific and unique sequence probe was designed for detection of donkey adulteration in cooked sausages and its species specificity was confirmed bioinformatically in the common software and website (ClustalX and NCBI). Subsequently, a novel species-specific electrochemical DNA probe (locked nucleic acid, LNA) was synthesized and implemented in a construction of DNA-based electrochemical genosensor for sensitive, convenient and selective detection of donkey adulteration. The electrochemical behavior of the fabricated genosensor was studied by linear sweep, square wave, differential pulse voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Due to inherent optimal hybridization conditions, the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was obtained as 148 pM with a relative standard deviation of 0.16%. Eventually, as a proof of concept, the designed biosensor was successfully used for detection of donkey genetic element in consumable beef sausages preparations, as a real sample. It is predicted that the proposed biosensor will provide a sensitive, inexpensive, fast, and reliable bioassay for application in food analysis, forensic investigations, genetic screening and biodiagnostics. As a prominent feature of this study, the recorded results were confirmed by quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) as a standard method in adulteration analysis. Our future perspective is minutralization of the development bioassay for making on-desk device and specially merging the designed system by microfluidic systems for accelerating the analysis time.

Identification of Peptide Biomarkers for Discrimination of Shrimp Species through SWATH-MS-Based Proteomics and Chemometrics

Incorrect labeling and adulteration of shrimp occurs due to interspecies similarities and carapace removal during processing. This study attempted to identify three related commercial shrimp species of the order Decapoda: Marsupenaeus japonicus, Fenneropenaeus chinensis, and Litopenaeus vannamei. All measurable trypsin-digested peptides in the individual shrimp were detected using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight (UPLC-Q-TOF) mass spectrometry with sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra (SWATH) data-independent acquisition. Further analysis of peptide biomarkers was carried out with an orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model. BLAST was used for species-specific analysis. Subsequently, multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) methods were developed for sensitivity and selectivity screening of the selected peptides, and 27 were identified as biomarkers allowing rapid and accurate discrimination of shrimp species without high-resolution mass spectrometry or statistical model building. These strategies could be applied in authentication of other products containing highly homologous proteomes.

A single enzyme PCR-RFLP protocol targeting 16S rRNA/tRNAval region to authenticate four commercially important shrimp species in India

Food authenticity is an issue of major concern for food authorities, as mislabeling represents one of the major commercial frauds. In this study, a novel PCR-RFLP protocol was developed as a tool to authenticate four shrimp products of commercial importance belonging to the family, Penaeidae, viz. Litopenaeus vannamei, Penaeus monodon, P. semisulcatus and Fenneropenaeus indicus. PCR amplification was performed targeting 16S rRNA/tRNA^val region having an amplicon size of 530bp using the specific primers for shrimps, 16S-Cru4/16S-Cru3. Subsequent restriction analysis with a single restriction enzyme, Tsp5091, yielded distinct RFLP pattern for each species of shrimps having fragment sizes below 150bp. The unique RFLP patterns were also obtained in processed shrimp products without any degradation or alteration in the major fragments. The method was also validated with commercial shrimp products. Thus, the developed protocol can be performed within 8h using a single enzyme to authenticate four shrimp products of commercial significance.

Review on proteomics for food authentication

Consumers have the right to know what is in the food they are eating. Accordingly, European and global food regulations require that the provenance of the food can be guaranteed from farm to fork. Many different instrumental techniques have been proposed for food authentication. Although traditional methods are still being used, new approaches such as genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics are helping to complement existing methodologies for verifying the claims made about certain food products. During the last decade, proteomics (the large-scale analysis of proteins in a particular biological system at a particular time) has been applied to different research areas within food technology. Since proteins can be used as markers for many properties of a food, even indicating processes to which the food has been subjected, they can provide further evidence of the foods labeling claim. This review is a comprehensive and updated overview of the applications, drawbacks, advantages, and challenges of proteomics for food authentication in the assessment of the foods compliance with labeling regulations and policies.

SIGNIFICANCE

This review paper provides a comprehensive and critical overview of the application of proteomics approaches to determine the authenticity of several food products updating the performances and current limitations of the applied techniques in both laboratory and industrial environments.

Proteomics for the authentication of fish species

Assessment of seafood authenticity and origin, mainly in the case of processed products (fillets, sticks, baby food) represents the crucial point to prevent fraudulent deceptions thus guaranteeing market transparency and consumers health. The most dangerous practice that jeopardies fish safety is intentional or unintentional mislabeling, originating from the substitution of valuable fish species with inferior ones. Conventional analytical methods for fish authentication are becoming inadequate to comply with the strict regulations issued by the European Union and with the increase of mislabeling due to the introduction on the market of new fish species and market globalization. This evidence prompts the development of high-throughput approaches suitable to identify unambiguous biomarkers of authenticity and screen a large number of samples with minimal time consumption. Proteomics provides suitable and powerful tools to investigate main aspects of food quality and safety and has given an important contribution in the field of biomarkers discovery applied to food authentication. This report describes the most relevant methods developed to assess fish identity and offers a perspective on their potential in the evaluation of fish quality and safety thus depicting the key role of proteomics in the authentication of fish species and processed products.

BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The assessment of fishery products authenticity is a main issue in the control quality process as deceptive practices could imply severe health risks. Proteomics based methods could significantly contribute to detect falsification and frauds, thus becoming a reliable operative first-line testing resource in food authentication.

PCR-based assessment of shellfish traceability and sustainability in international Mediterranean seafood markets

Two mitochondrial markers (cytochrome oxidase COI and 16S rDNA) were employed for species identification of commercial shellfish from two Mediterranean countries. New COI Barcodes were generated for six species: Pleoticus robustus, Metapenaeopsis barbata, Parapenaeus fissuroides, Hymenopenaeus debilis, Metapenaeus affinis and Sepia aculeata. Biodiversity of the seafood species analyzed was greater in Egypt, with nine crustacean and two cephalopod species found compared with only three crustaceans and three cephalopods in Spain. In total, 17.2% and 15.2% products were mislabeled in Egypt and Spain, respectively. Population decline is a problem for some of the substitute species. Others were exotic and/or invasive in exporters' regions. This study offers the first comparable study of shellfish traceability in these Mediterranean markets. The PCR-based method used in this study proved to be reliable, effective and, therefore, could be employed for routine seafood analysis.

Species identification of the Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and proteomic analysis

Genomic and proteomic techniques for species identification of meat and seafood products are being widely used. In this study, a genomic approach was used to differentiate Pandalus borealis (the Northern shrimp), which belongs to the superfamily Pandaloidea, from 30 crustaceans consisting of 19 commercially relevant prawns/shrimps species that belong to the superfamily Penaeoidea, which include the families Penaeidae and Solenoceridae, and 11 other crustacean species, including prawns, shrimps, lobsters, and crabs. For this purpose, a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was designed based on the amplification of the 16S rRNA/tRNA(Val)/12S rRNA mitochondrial regions using the primers 16S-CruF and 16S-CruR. The 966-bp PCR products were produced and cleaved with the restriction enzymes AluI, TaqI, and HinfI, which provided species-specific restriction patterns. In addition, a proteomic approach, based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) and electrospray ionization-ion trap (ESI-IT) mass spectrometry, was used to identify and characterize new P. borealis-specific peptides that could be useful as potential markers of this species in protein-based detection methods. To our knowledge, this is the first time a molecular method has been successfully applied to identify a wide range of prawn and shrimp species, including P. borealis, for either whole individuals or processed products. However, validation of the methods proposed here is required by applying them to a larger sample of individuals from different populations and geographic origins in order to avoid mainly false-negative results.

Selected tandem mass spectrometry ion monitoring for the fast identification of seafood species

Selected tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) ion monitoring (SMIM) is the most suitable scanning mode to detect known peptides in complex samples when an ion-trap mass spectrometer is the instrument used for the analysis. In this mode, the MS detector is programmed to perform continuous MS/MS scans on one or more selected precursors, either during a selected time interval, or along the whole chromatographic run. MS/MS spectra are recorded, so virtual multiple reaction monitoring chromatogram traces for the different fragment ions can be plotted. In this work, a shotgun proteomics approach was applied to the detection of previously characterized species-specific peptides from different seafood species. The proposed methodology makes use of high intensity focused ultrasound-assisted trypsin digestion for ultra fast sample preparation, peptide separation and identification by reverse phase capillary LC coupled to an ion-trap working in the SMIM scanning mode. This methodology was applied to the differential classification of seven commercial, closely related, species of Decapoda shrimps proving to be an excellent tool for seafood product authentication, which may be used by fisheries and manufacturers to provide a fast and effective identification of the specimens, guaranteeing the quality and safety of foodstuffs to consumers.