Discrimination of Wild and Cultured European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Using Chemical and Isotopic Analyses

Abstract

Recent legislation in the EU (EC/2065/2001) requires that 28 seafood must provide the 29 consumer with information that describes geographical origin and production method. The 30 present studies aimed to establish methods, based on chemical and stable isotopic analysis, 31 that could reliably differentiate between wild and farmed European sea bass (Decntrarchus 32 labrax). The study measured fatty acid and isotopic compositions (δ13C & δ18O) of total flesh 33 oil, δ15N of the glycerol/choline fraction and compound specific analysis of fatty acids (δ13C)34 by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). The sample set comprised of 10 wild and 10 35 farmed sea bass from England (wild) and Scotland or Greece (farmed). Discrimination was 36 achieved using fatty acid composition with 18:0, 18:2n-6, 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 providing the 37 highest contributions for discrimination. Principal components analysis of the data set 38 provided good discrimination between farmed and wild sea bass where factor 1 and factor 2 39 accounted for 60% of the variation in the data.40