Authentication of Messolongi (Greece) fish roe using PCR–RFLP analysis of 16s rRNA mtDNA segment

The fish roe of Messolongi is a famous product from Greece with designation of origin. This processed sea food product originates from the whole ovaries of the fish M. cephalus which is captured in Messolongi lagoon – Greece. A PCR–RFLP based method has been developed in our laboratory for the authentication of fish roe of Messolongi. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for amplification of mitochondrial 16s rRNA gene segment. Digestion of the PCR products with the restriction enzymes BstNI, TaqI and HinfI followed by agarose gel electrophoresis, yielded species specific restriction patterns, that enabled clear discrimination of the fish roe of Messolongi from the fish roe originating from the other Mugilidae species coexisting in the same area.