BIOTAG - ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF THE MOLECULAR TECHNOLOGIES PAIRED WITH INNOVATIVE IT PROCEDURES FOR THE TRACEABILITY OF MOLLUSCS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND THE QUALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. This is an experimental project of research and technological transfer designed to develop a new technological platform for the traceability of the shellfish cultivated in the lagoon-coastal areas of the Veneto region, in order to achieve product safety (from seeding to selling) and to control the quality of the environment.
The Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, by means of its Department of Environmental Sciences, and the Inter-University Centre ECLT (European Centre for Living Tecnology) are performing the scientific and experimental activity.
The involvement of VEGA concerns the creation of data banks for the construction of a bio-information platform through comparative assessment of the models acquired in other application environments.
The project is co-funded by the Government of the Veneto Region in compliance with the regional law no. 9/2007, “Regional strategic plan for scientific research, technological development and innovation 2008/2010” – Phase 2 of the 2008 Notice of competition.
The Biotag project is designed to develop a new technological platform for the traceability of the molluscs cultivated in the lagoon-coastal areas of the Veneto region, in order to guarantee product safety (from seeding to selling) and to control the quality of the environment.
The technology to be developed will use genetic markers to identify the species and/or the variety of the shellfish, and its origin as well (cultivation site), in order to provide fish farmers with effective tools to control the production chain, and consumers with reliable information on quality and the certification of origin. Molecular technology intends to analyse, in a systemic way, the issue of the quality of the environment in the marshy-coastal habitats dedicated to aquaculture.
More specifically, the project will assist clam farmers by identifying whether clams belong to local species (e.g. Tapes decussatus) and/or to species that have adjusted to a new environment as the Philippine clam (Tapes philippinarum), and the peculiar characteristics of these filter feeders. This will enable an integrated environmental control, while innovative bio-analysis techniques based on molecular biology will help identify the presence, if any, of micro-organisms and toxins and help growers monitor the health of their shellfish farm.
This project of a highly innovative technological nature has a strong interdisciplinary character, since it requires competences in molecular biology, microbiology, statistics, and in the development of classification models with the application of advanced IT technologies.
The innovative aspects of the Biotag project lie in the use of molecular markers for the sharp identification of the species and/or varieties of the bred organisms, of the shellfish farm, of micro-organisms and toxins that can be pathogenic for the cultivated organisms and for the health of consumers. It is to be viewed as a genetic census of the clams in the Venice Lagoon and in the Delta of the river Po, targeted at the identification of polymorphic molecular markers to be used in the traceability processes along the production and supply chains of these lagoon molluscs.
The competitive edge of this initiative basically lies in its producing an asset that does not differ from other assets but for the impartial certification of its origin and, therefore, of the good qualities that the product is considered to have.
The passage from a purely invented mark to the genetic marker to identify a food product on an industrial scale is a turning point for the guarantee of the origin of these products, to oppose the more and more frequent adulterations on the market.
The potential deriving from the use of genetic markers lies in the possibility to monitor the health of the fish production chain with advanced tools derived from molecular and biotechnological research.
The project is developed by a Temporary Enterprise Association composed of the following partners:
GRAL SCARL (project leader)
LOGIX SRL
CDS SCARL
EXPERTEAM SRL (a company located at Parco VEGA)
The overall cost of the project is of € 642,000.00; the funds allocated by the regional law 9/2007 RESEARCH amount to € 289,080.00.
The project was started in February 2010 and its term was set at 26 months.
