Development of a PCR-Based Identification System for Distinguishing Tuna Species

Global market demands for fresh tuna products have resulted in increased pressure on tuna fisheries worldwide. As a result, consumer driven market pressures have created significant commercial importance in the U.S. market for certain high-value tuna species. Domestic tuna harvests and harvests by foreign sources determine the supply of raw tuna available to U.S. vendors. In fact, the U.S. is largely dependent on imported fresh tuna to meet market demand. Declines in tuna fisheries, tighter catch quotas, and increased competition in global raw-tuna markets create a special and immediate concern for quality control, product security, and supply chain continuity. These issues have implications for the consumer, who is completely dependent on producers to maintain product integrity and quality especially when shortfalls in supply occur. The purpose of this study is to develop a reliable DNA-based diagnostic that will allow for the unambiguous identification of the four most commercially valuable fresh tuna species. This diagnostic is necessary in order to insure accurate species identification, proper product labeling and traceability, and to aid in the monitoring of catch quotas and suspect and/or seized product.