The authenticity of fish products has become an imperative issue for authorities involved in the protection of consumers against fraudulent practices and market stabilization. The present study aimed to provide a method for authentication of European sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax) according to the requirements for seafood labels (Regulation 1379/2013/EU). Data on biometric traits, fatty acid profile, elemental composition, and isotopic abundance of wild and reared (intensively, semi-intensively, and extensively) specimens from 18 southern European sources ( n = 160) were collected, clustered in six sets of parameters, and then subjected to multivariate analysis. Correct allocations of subjects according to their production method, origin, and stocking density were demonstrated with good approximation rates (94, 92, and 92%, respectively) using fatty acid profiles. Less satisfying results were obtained using isotopic abundance, biometric traits, and elemental composition. The multivariate analysis also revealed that extensively reared subjects cannot be analytically discriminated from wild subjects.
Keywords: Dicentrarchus labrax; analytical fingerprinting; elemental composition; fatty acid profile; isotope analysis; sea bass authentication; seafood labeling; stocking density.