Food metagenomics as a new frontier for authentication and traceability: application of next generation sequencing on food products

Anisa Ribani 
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Università di Bologna - Italy

November 24, 2021 (11:30-12:30)
Webinar Link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/728130669

Abstract: Food frauds, including mislabeling and adulteration, are constantly increasing in almost all food supply chains with many negative economic, social and health implications, raising consumers’ concerns on food integrity. Food authentication and traceability are becoming one of the most important challenges worldwide and they can include topics such as precise identification of raw ingredients, geographical origin and detection of species or breed/variety. Among the analytical methods that can be apply to monitor and to guarantee food authenticity, metagenomics and other omic-based massive molecular tools can help in this context. Indeed, all foodstuffs contain several DNAs which provide a unique molecular fingerprinting that can be mined to obtain information on the biological origin (i.e. organisms, namely species, from which the food or its ingredients derives), geographical origin and contaminating pathogens, detecting not only the nature but also the safety of a food product, even if highly processed or complex. Next generation sequencing (NGS) technology looks to identify a strong and accurate tool for food authenticity: indeed, many NGS platforms with different properties are available and the rapid expansion of DNA sequencing has led to a rapid enlargement in sequence databases, useful for developing methodologies to improve food quality control testing and traceability

Author's Info: https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/anisa.ribani2

Link to video: https://youtu.be/iGaR9dO9lVs