Innovative approaches to food traceability with DNA barcoding: Beyond traditional labels and certifications

Abstract

The increasing difficulty of global food supply chains has heightened the dangers of food fraud, including species substitution, geographic origin misrepresentation, and adulteration. Traditional labeling and certification systems often fail to prevent these fraudulent practices, necessitating the development of more reliable authentication methods. DNA barcoding has surfaced as a potent molecular tool for verifying food authenticity, offering enhanced species identification and traceability across various food sectors. This work explores the application of DNA barcoding in food authentication, providing a comparative analysis of DNA barcoding with other molecular techniques such as PCR, LAMP, and next-generation sequencing. We examine key case studies across the seafood, meat, and herbal supplement industries, and discuss the integration of DNA barcoding with blockchain, IoT sensors, and AI technologies. The review also addresses ethical, regulatory, and technical challenges, particularly in relation to processed foods. DNA barcoding has proven highly effective in detecting food fraud, with case studies demonstrating its ability to identify species mislabeling and adulteration. While other molecular techniques offer specific advantages, DNA barcoding stands out for its accuracy and applicability in highly processed foods when combined with emerging technologies like blockchain and IoT. However, limitations such as the difficulty of handling degraded DNA in some processed products remain. Upcoming investigation should focus on the expansion of DNA reference databases and the integration of AI to further enhance species detection. DNA barcoding is perched to become a gold-standard tool in food authentication, promoting transparency, consumer trust, and food integrity.