The use of stable isotope ratio analyses to discriminate wild and farmed gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata).
Continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS) has been used to analyze samples of gilthead sea bream (g.s.b.) (Sparus aurata) of known geographical origin (four countries on the Mediterranean Sea) from wild and farmed sources (40 farmed and 10 wild). delta(13)C and delta(15)N values have been measured on muscle samples as these are the most informative parameters of the diet of the animals. Both stable isotopes are indicators of the origin of the fish: delta(13)C giving a tool to distinguish between wild and farmed g.s.b. and delta(15)N being more informative on the geographical origin of the fish (this fact could be related more to differences in feed mixtures given to farmed fish than to geographical reasons). The proposed methodology offers a cost- and time-effective alternative to other analytical techniques in identifying wild and farmed fish.
Rojas
Jose Manuel Moreno
JM
European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Physical and Chemical Exposure Unit, BEVABS, TP281, Via Fermi 2, 21020 Ispra, Italy.
Serra
Francesca
F
Giani
Ivan
I
Moretti
Vittorio M
VM
Reniero
Fabiano
F
Guillou
Claude
C
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen