Researchers create genetic chip to enhance traceability of Galician mussels

The AZTI Technology Center, as part of the European SEATRACES project, has developed a genetic chip that can help enhance the traceability of mussels from Spain. 

The new chip, created via a collaboration between AZTI and the University of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, uses specific genetic markers of the Mediterranean mussel species Mytilus galloprovincialis that allow it to trace the geographical origin of an individual mussel. Galicia – responsible for 97 percent of aquaculture production in Spain – is one of the leading producers of the species in Europe.

AZTI and USC analyzed hundreds of samples of mussels of different geographic origins, and used sequencing techniques to identify 17 different genetic markers in the mussels that can help determine the location they were farmed in. According to AZTI, the research allows producers and researchers a genomic tool to assess the complex genetic traits of the mussel species.

"Producers can use these genetic markets to certify the origin of their products and boost consumer confidence,” AZTI Researcher Ana del Río said in a release. “For their part, food authorities can use this information to ensure compliance with traceability and food safety regulations.”

Because mussels are often produced far from where they’re consumed, traceability is important to avoid commercial fraud.

"Tracing the geographical origin of this species is crucial to developing and implementing management strategies to mitigate invasion and protect the sustainable exploitation of native species," del Río said.

The program was operated through SEATRACES, an E.U. Interreg Atlantic Area program that aims to both prove the necessity of traceability to consumers and enhance the traceability of seafood by developing new tools and labelling. SEATRACES is coordinated in Galicia by CSIC, the Spanish scientific research council, through the Institute for Marine Research.

AZTI is a scientific and technological center that develops high-impact transformation projects with organizations aligned with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

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