Project:

Identification of Fish Species Using DNA Barcoding in Suzhou Seafood Markets

Students:

Shuyan Jin, Yuhan Ding, Yuhan Zeng, Xiaoxian Zeng

School:

Cold Spring Harbor Asia DNA Learning Center,

Mentors:

Xinyue Wang

Abstract:

DNA barcoding is a molecular technique used to identify species by analyzing a standardized region DNA. This method has proven especially useful in detecting species substitution and mislabeling in the food industry, where visual identification can be unreliable due to cryptic species. In seafood industry, such fraud could be prevalent, highlighting the necessity of molecular methods for seafood identification and consumer protection. Studies such as Formosa et al. (2010) and Filonzi et al. (2023) have stated DNA barcoding as an effective tool for fish species identification, while other works (Willette al., 2017) have applied it to monitor fish fraud in retail markets. Our project aims to assess the authenticity of certain fish species collected in local seafood markets in Suzhou using DNA barcoding techniques. We will collect samples of fish labeled as specific species (e.g. mandarin fish and weezer) from a range of seafood markets. Given the variable quality and potential degradatio

Poster:

Team samples: