Standardization of Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for the Authentication of Arapaima gigas fish

Pirarucu is a freshwater fish that presents a great commercial value for being well accepted by the consumers and for showing excellent meat quality. The zoological identification of fisheries during industrial processing is harmed by the removal of external morphologic characteristics, facilitating fraudulent practices in commercialization. In this context, the identification at the molecular level is an important tool in the inspection and commercialization of the fishery. The DNA resists to the processing methods, like the salting, the most common way of commercializing the pirarucu. The Polymerase chain reaction, PCR assay, were applied in samples that suffered degradation or have gone under industrialization methods. This work aimed use the PCR technique as a tool to authenticate the Arapaima gigas species and to avoid possible frauds in commercially available products. The obtained data showed the efficiencies of the DNA extraction, the amplification of the target sequence, and identification of the genetic material through PCR. It is possible to conclude that the PCR technique that was standardized in the present study showed high sensibility, precision, and specificity for the detection of the genetic material of Arapaima gigas, constituting a useful tool for the monitoring and inspection during its commercialization.