Comparison of two commercial methods for smooth-shelled mussels ( spp.) species identification.

Seafood international trade has increased the labeling requirements in standards and regulations to include product information that enable traders and consumers to make informed choices. The European Union (EU) Regulation No. 1379/2013 imposes the declaration of an official commercial designation and scientific names for all the fishery and aquaculture products to be offered for sale to the final consumers. DNA analyses are used to enforce this regulation and to test authenticity in processed foods. We compared the performance of two mono-locus approaches for species identification (SI) in 61 mussels: the high-resolution melting analysis of the gene and the partial sequencing of the gene. The sequences were analyzed with five different methods. Both approaches show discrepancies in the identification of putative hybrids (0.0 < κ < 0.687 and 0.0 < MCC < 0.724). Excluding putative hybrids, methods show substantial to perfect agreement (0.772 < κ < 1.0 and 0.783 < MCC < 1.0). This study highlights the need to use standardized molecular tools, as well as to use multi-locus methods for SI of mussels in testing laboratories.