A real-time polymerase chain reaction method for the identification of four commercially important salmon and trout species

Abstract

A duplex quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay was developed for rapid and accurate identification of four commercially important salmon and trout species (Oncorhynchus keta, Oncorhynchus nerka, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and Salmo salar) commonly used for production process of fish in China. The assays targeting the mitochondrial control region (CR) and 16S rRNA gene were able to simultaneously discriminate four target species and the family Salmonidae from processed as well as fresh fish. The qPCR efficiency of each reaction was calculated according to the standard curve, and the method was validated by amplification DNA extracted from single or artificial mixtures prepared with the reference salmon and trout species. Testing of 11 commercial salmon and trout products by the established qPCR assay demonstrated that it was really a useful and academic technique to identify four commercially important salmon and trout species.

• Control region
• quantitative real-time PCR
• salmon
• species identification

Declaration of interest

This work was supported by the Key Scientific Research Project of Zhejiang Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau (Grant no. 2014-ZKZ-010), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant no. 2012AA092302), and the Major Science and Technology Projects of Zhejiang Province (Grant no. 2012C03009-3).