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Authentication of the most important species of freshwater eels by means of FINS

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Abstract

Eels are a taxonomic group with great commercial importance due to their huge steaks. They have very high demand, especially the young ones. There are high morphological similarity and different market values between different species. For these reasons arises the need to develop techniques that allow identifying as many species as possible. In this study, a DNA method based on DNA phylogenetic analysis of sequences (forensically informative nucleotide sequencing) has been developed. This method has been used to authenticate 12 eel species, including the most important to commercial level (Anguilla anguilla, A. rostrata, A. japonica, A. australis), by means of the amplification of a 239-base pair (bp) fragment of the mitochondrial Cytochrome b (cyt b) gene. This method is useful to clarify questions related to the correct labeling of commercial products and to verify the traceability in commercial trade and for fisheries control.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mar Huertas (Algarve University of Portugal), Dalius Butkauskas (Nature Research Center of Lituania), Le Quang Dung (Institute of Marine Environment and Resources of Vietnam), Caroline Coté (Canada), David Cairns (Department of Fisheries and Oceans of Canada), Yves de Lafontaine and Simon Despatie (Aquatic Ecosystems Division. Environnement of Canada).

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  1. Area of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, ANFACO-CECOPESCA, 36310, Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain

    Fátima C. Lago, Juan M. Vieites & Montserrat Espiñeira

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  1. Fátima C. Lago
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  2. Juan M. Vieites
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  3. Montserrat Espiñeira
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Correspondence to Montserrat Espiñeira.

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Lago, F.C., Vieites, J.M. & Espiñeira, M. Authentication of the most important species of freshwater eels by means of FINS. Eur Food Res Technol 234, 689–694 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-012-1672-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-012-1672-4

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