Molecular authentication of Pargo fillets Lutjanus purpureus (Perciformes: Lutjanidae) by DNA barcoding reveals commercial fraud

Abstract

The Caribbean Red Snapper (Pargo) Lutjanus purpureus is the most economically important snapper in Brazil, which is sold, among other forms, as frozen fillets. During the process of transformation into fillets there is the removal of the distinctive morphological traits, being able to favor the substitution by less valued species. In addition, there is no national legislation requiring the insertion of the specific name on the product label. However, according to a Normative Instruction (IN N ° 29/2015 MAPA) that correlates the common and specific names of the products destined to the national trade, in Brazil only L. purpureus and L. campechanus can be denominated “Pargo”. Thus, the DNA barcode tool was used to identify the fillets sold in north of Brazil, labeled “Pargo”, with the aid of sequences from the public and control databases. The results showed that among 142 fillets examined, 78% was identified as L. purpureus and 22% as Rhomboplites aurorubens, a snapper with low commercial value in the country, revealing commercial fraud. The molecular identification method successfully used in this study to authenticate fillets snappers may also be used by surveillance authorities in the quality control of processed fish products, towards ensuring consumer rights.

DNA barcoding reveals mislabeling and commercial fraud in the marketing of fillets of the genus Brachyplatystoma Bleeker, 1862, the Amazonian freshwater catfishes economically important in Brazil

“…Slightly lower rates were recorded in other studies, such as 26% for a range of species sold in fishmongers and 30% for those sold in restaurants ( Staffen et al., 2017 ), while Carvalho et al. (2015) registered a rate of 24% for pink cusk-eel ( Genypterus blacodes Forster, 1801), flounder ( Atheresthes stomias Jordan and Gilbert, 1880) and cod ( G. morhua ), Veneza et al. (2018) found 22% in red snapper ( Lutjanus purpureus Poey, 1866), and Gomes et al.…”

“…In this context, the DNA barcode is highly sensitive for the reliable identification of vertebrate species, including fish, and has been widely used to evaluate the authenticity of the labeling of processed fish products ( Hebert et al., 2003a ; Delpiani et al., 2020 ; Helgoe et al., 2020 ). In Brazil, several studies using DNA barcode have revealed species substitution in fish products marketed all over the country ( Brito et al., 2015 ; Barbosa et al., 2020 ; Carvalho et al., 2011 , 2015 , 2017 ; Staffen et al., 2017 ; Veneza et al., 2018 ; Gomes et al., 2019 ).…”

The Expanding Role of DNA Barcodes: Indispensable Tools for Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation

“…Although DNA barcode-based discrimination at the species-level is not possible in all groups of organisms, DNA barcodes have been utilized for forensic identification of algae [151], plants [152,153], invertebrates [154], and vertebrates [155]. A significant driving force in developing DNA barcode technology for plants has been the need for an accurate and inexpensive tool for the identification of illegal timber products, especially those listed in the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).…”

“…Some of the earliest applications of DNA metabarcoding involved the analysis of vertebrate diets [189] and this method remains a powerful tool for understanding herbivory and predation (see [125,[190][191][192]). More recently, metabarcoding has been used to reconstruct plant-pollinator networks [146,147] and identify economically important taxa [155] or those relevant to human health [193,194].…”

Gato por Liebre Estudio genético sobre sustitución de especies en el comercio de pescados en México

“…Los estudios en varias partes del mundo han mostrado que los niveles de sustitución de especies de peces marinos pueden ser altos, aunque, en general, el promedio de sustitución en las muestras examinadas es de ~30 % (Pardo et al, 2016). Sin embargo, pocos estudios de sustitución de especies de peces se han realizado en América Latina, incluyendo Belice (Cox et al, 2013), Costa Rica (O'Bryhim et al, 2017, Chile (Sebastian et al, 2008), Perú (Marin et al, 2018), y varios estudios realizados en Brasil (Carvalho et al, 2017;Staffen et al, 2017;Veneza et al, 2018).…”