Processed seafood products from Italian market, Metabarcoding Targeted loci
Given the recognized nutritional value of fish and shifting consumer lifestyles, processed seafood has become increasingly prevalent, comprising a significant portion of global food production. Although current European Union labelling regulations do not require species declaration for these products, Food Business Operators often voluntarily provide this information on ingredient lists. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) approaches are currently the most effective methods for verifying the accuracy of species declarations on processed seafood labels. This study examined the species composition of 20 processed seafood products, each labelled as containing a single species, using two DNA metabarcoding markers targeting the mitochondrial COI and 16S rRNA genes. The combined use of these markers revealed that the majority of the products contained multiple species. Furthermore, two products were found to be mislabelled, as the declared species were not detected. These findings underscore that Next Generation Sequencing is a robust technique that could be adopted to support routine food industry activities and official control programs, thereby enhancing the 'From Boat to Plate' strategy and combating fraudulent practices in the complex fisheries supply chain.