Geographic Pattern of Sushi Product Misdescription in Italy-A Crosstalk between Citizen Science and DNA Barcoding

Molecular Barcoding: A Tool to Guarantee Correct Seafood Labelling and Quality and Preserve the Conservation of Endangered Species

The recent increase in international fish trade leads to the need for improving the traceability of fishery products. In relation to this, consistent monitoring of the production chain focusing on technological developments, handling, processing and distribution via global networks is necessary. Molecular barcoding has therefore been suggested as the gold standard in seafood species traceability and labelling. This review describes the DNA barcoding methodology for preventing food fraud and adulteration in fish. In particular, attention has been focused on the application of molecular techniques to determine the identity and authenticity of fish products, to discriminate the presence of different species in processed seafood and to characterize raw materials undergoing food industry processes. In this regard, we herein present a large number of studies performed in different countries, showing the most reliable DNA barcodes for species identification based on both mitochondrial (COI, cytb, 16S rDNA and 12S rDNA) and nuclear genes. Results are discussed considering the advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques in relation to different scientific issues. Special regard has been dedicated to a dual approach referring to both the consumer's health and the conservation of threatened species, with a special focus on the feasibility of the different genetic and genomic approaches in relation to both scientific objectives and permissible costs to obtain reliable traceability.

Techniques for Food Authentication: Trends and Emerging Approaches

Food producers and retailers are obliged to provide correct food information to consumers; however, despite national and international legislation, food labels frequently contain false or misleading statements regarding food composition, quality, geographic origin, and/or processing [...]

Application of DNA barcoding for ensuring food safety and quality

With increasing international food trade, food quality and safety are high priority worldwide. The consumption of contaminated and adulterated food can cause serious health problems such as infectious diseases and allergies. Therefore, the authentication and traceability systems are needed to improve food safety. The mitochondrial DNA can be used for species authentication of food and food products. Effective DNA barcode markers have been developed to correctly identify species. The US FDA approved to the use of DNA barcoding for various food products. The DNA barcoding technology can be used as a regulatory tool for identification and authenticity. The application of DNA barcoding can reduce the microbiological and toxicological risks associated with the consumption of food and food products. DNA barcoding can be a gold-standard method in food authenticity and fraud detection. This review describes the DNA barcoding method for preventing food fraud and adulteration in meat, fish, and medicinal plants.

COIBar-RFLP Molecular Strategy Discriminates Species and Unveils Commercial Frauds in Fishery Products

The DNA analysis is the best approach to authenticate species in seafood products and to unveil frauds based on species substitution. In this study, a molecular strategy coupling Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) DNA barcoding with the consolidated methodology of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs), named COIBar-RFLP, was applied for searching pattern of restriction enzyme digestion, useful to discriminate seven different fish species (juveniles of Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardina pilchardus sold in Italy as “bianchetto” and Aphia minuta sold as “rossetto”; icefish Neosalanx tangkahkeii; European perch, Perca fluviatilis and the Nile Perch, Lates niloticus; striped catfish, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus). A total of 30 fresh and frozen samples were processed for DNA barcoding, analyzed against a barcode library of COI sequences retrieved from GenBank, and validated for COIBar–RFLP analysis. Cases of misdescription were detected: 3 samples labeled as “bianchetto” were substituted by N. tangkahkeii (2 samples) and A. minuta (1 sample); 3 samples labeled as “persico reale” (P. fluviatilis) were substituted by L. niloticus and P. hypophthalmus. All species were simultaneously discriminated through the restriction pattern obtained with MspI enzyme. The results highlighted that the COIBar-RFLP could be an effective tool to authenticate fish in seafood products by responding to the emerging interest in molecular identification technologies.

Meta-analyses of molecular seafood studies identify the global distribution of legal and illegal trade in CITES-regulated European eels

Authentication of seafood products by means of molecular techniques has relevance for food sustainability and security, as well as international trade regulation, linked to transparency in food manufacturing. We focus on the molecular detection of the depleted European eel Anguilla anguilla, a species for which strict international trade regulations are in place since 2010, in studies conducted outside Europe. We found thirteen studies from nine countries (Canada, China, Japan, Malaysia, Peru, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and USA) for which, on average, 59 ± 28% of the 330 sequenced eel samples comprised European eel. Only China, Japan, South Korea, and USA reported the import of European eel in the years prior to sampling. The authentication of eel products demonstrates a global, in part illegal, trade in European eel, covered up by incomplete or fraudulent labelling. This calls into question the compliance with existing national and international trade regulations and its implications for food safety and sustainability.

•

Existing seafood studies enable meta-analysis, identifying global distribution.

•

Observed distribution of European eel is not evident in trade statistics.

•

Regulations are insufficiently enforced, impacting food sustainability and security.

Bioinformatics Approach to Mitigate Mislabeling in EU Seafood Market and Protect Consumer Health

Fisheries products are some of the most traded commodities world-wide and the potential for fraud is a serious concern. Fish fraud represents a threat to human health and poses serious concerns due to the consumption of toxins, highly allergenic species, contaminates or zoonotic parasites, which may be present in substituted fish. The substitution of more expensive fish by cheaper species, with similar morphological characteristics but different origins, reflects the need for greater transparency and traceability upon which which the security of the entire seafood value-chain depends. Even though EU regulations have made significant progress in consumer information by stringent labelling requirements, fraud is still widespread. Many molecular techniques such as DNA barcoding provide valuable support to enhance the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in the protection of consumer interests by unequivocally detecting any kind of fraud. This paper aims to highlight both the engagement of EU fishery policy and the opportunity offered by new biotechnology instruments to mitigate the growing fraud in the globalized fish market and to enforce the food security system to protect consumers' health. In this paper, after a presentation of EU rules on fish labeling and a general overview on the current state of the global fish market, we discuss the public health implications and the opportunities offered by several techniques based on genetics, reporting a case study to show the efficacy of the DNA barcoding methodology in assessing fish traceability and identification, comparing different species of the Epinephelus genus, Mottled Grouper (Mycteroperca rubra) and Wreckfish (Polyprion americanus), often improperly sold with the commercial name of "grouper".