Bilbao, June 27 (EFE).- AZTI researchers in Bizkaia, in collaboration with the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), have developed a chip that contains the genetic composition of the Galician mussel, to guarantee its sustainability and prevent fraud in its marketing.
The research, framed within the European project SEATRACES and coordinated by the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), will serve to distinguish the geographical origin of mussels farmed in Galicia from other geographical locations, the Biscayan center specializing in the marine environment and the feeding.
This AZTI research together with the USC began in 2018 and 19 partners from six countries have participated in it to, through sequencing techniques and genetic analysis, identify 17 specific markers that allow distinguishing the geographical origin of the mussels farmed in Galicia. from those of other locations.
To do this, AZTI has analyzed more than two hundred samples of mussels from different geographical origins and, in addition, the study has determined with high precision the genetic composition of the Galician mussel species.
In this way, it offers producers and experts a genomic tool that allows them to identify, validate and evaluate complex genetic traits in this species.
The results can contribute to the sustainable exploitation of these species, prevent commercial fraud and guarantee traceability.
“Tracing the geographic origin of this species is crucial for the development and implementation of management strategies to mitigate the invasion and protect the sustainable exploitation of native species,” explained AZTI researcher Ane del Río.
The world aquaculture production of mussels reached 2.11 million tons in 2018 and an approximate value of 4,519 million dollars, according to 2020 data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
In the European Union, these molluscs represent 34% of the total aquaculture production.
Galicia, responsible for more than 97% of the culture in Spain, is the main producer among the EU countries of one of the two main species, the Mytilus galloprovincialis, also known as the Galician or Mediterranean mussel.
According to those responsible for the study, “guaranteeing origin and traceability is especially relevant in the case of mussels due to their importance in international trade and the long distances between places of production and consumption.”
The results are important for understanding the genetic dynamics of farmed mussel populations and evaluating the effectiveness of management and selection practices in aquaculture. They also provide valuable information for the development of conservation strategies and genetic improvement of this species of economic and ecological importance.