Service identifies DNA of seafood to verify species and product labeling

DNA sequencing and genomic analysis company ACGT (Wheeling, IL) has unveiled its Seafood ID service to verify the identity of seafood species in cases of product mislabeling, as well as exploitation and illegal trafficking in both the commercial seafood industry and the marine research sector. The service can also identify both poisonous marine species and fish that have been genetically modified.

Seafood ID species identification uses the sequence analysis of the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase 1 (COX 1) gene, which provides interspecies discriminatory power in a single gene and has been recognized by the U.S. FDA as a gold standard for seafood species identification.

Beginning with DNA extraction from the seafood sample, COX 1 gene is amplified through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analyzed via DNA sequencing. Then, the obtained sequence is profiled against vast public databases containing archived COX 1 sequences from thousands of marine species. Once a match is made, the percentage certainty of the identification is determined.

If COX 1 sequence information is not sufficient for high certainty of identification, additional gene sequences will be analyzed in order to provide the level of discrimination required by the client. The company can also employ a broad range of advanced forensic techniques in order to achieve discriminatory identification down to a level of closely related siblings.

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