The globalized fish Industry: Employing DNA-barcoding and NIRS technology to combat counterfeiting and safeguard traditional agro-food products

Traditional food plays a crucial role in showcasing the culture and heritage of its producers. The identification of the Traditional agro-Food Product (TFP) “Seppia bianca di Chioggia”, which is derived from Italian traditional cuttlefish, was performed through genetic analysis utilizing mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I subunit gene (COI) sequences and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The set samples were obtained from the shores of Chioggia (Adriatic Sea), and a comparison was made with cuttlefishes collected from Cesenatico (Adriatic Sea) and the coastal regions of France (Atlantic Ocean). The primary objective was to differentiate the TFP from samples sourced from nearby production areas and distant geographic locations that are commonly sold in Italy. A total of 368 cuttlefishes were analysed for NIRS data, whereas a subset of 75 samples were randomly selected and analysed for COI sequences to assess cuttlefish origin and TFP certification. Genetic and NIRS models were then tested on the same set of samples using a machine learning approach through the hold-out validation method. Additionally, an external validation was performed using a new set of cuttlefishes (labelled fished in shore of Chioggia or in Atlantic Ocean) collected from the daily fish market located in Chioggia (Venice, Italy). Both technologies showed excellent accuracy (100%) in discriminating fishing origin between the Adriatic Sea and Atlantic Ocean. However, the genetic information was not sufficient to differentiate cuttlefishes between the closest fishing areas within the Adriatic Sea (balanced accuracy = 50–83.5%) and did not provide information about the production system (TFP certification), while it showed the highest performance of genetic membership assignment (≥96%) among untreated cuttlefishes collected in the fish market. However, the NIRS model completely differentiated (accuracy = 100%) samples according to the specificity of the treatment nature (simple skinned products vs. TFP preparations), while it was unable to differentiate cuttlefish origin in untreated samples collected in the fish market (accuracy = 50%). The present results demonstrated that NIRS represents a rapid, fast, green and nondestructive approach to support on-site, practical inspection to authenticate and promote TFP protection that mirrors a niche product as a result of the synergy between natural resources and cultural heritage.