Analysis
Agilent Makes Fish DNA ID Fast, Simple, Accurate For Routine Testing of Seafood to Verify Species and Labeling
Agilent Technologies today announced a system that speeds and simplifies the use of DNA to identify fish species in food products, making this highly-accurate technique feasible for routine verification of seafood labeling and detecting species substitutions.
We're addressing a tremendous global need for a fast, simple and accurate way to confirm fish species throughout the commercial seafood supply chain, said Mike McMullen, president, Agilent Chemical Analysis Group. Consumers and regulators increasingly demand foods that are harvested sustainably, and are not adulterated with species of lesser value. We're delivering a tool to increase everyone's confidence that fish served as halibut served at their local restaurants is really halibut.
The system works with fish that is fresh, frozen, dried, salted or minced, and also works with fish fins. The RFLP Decoder Software contains experimentally-derived patterns from more than 50 species, and additional species also can be added by the user.
The easy-to-use PCR-RFLP method was developed by Campden BRI in the UK. The method's simplicity is enhanced by conveniently packaged reagents, the highly-automated lab-on-a-chip platform, and the equally easy-to-use RFLP pattern matching software. The system is currently available to early-access users. Existing early-access users include a major European seafood products manufacturer as well as several universities and governmental organizations in the United States and Europe.