The sale of frozen–thawed fish and fish products, labeled as fresh, is currently one of the most common and insidious commercial food frauds. For this reason, the demand of reliable tools to identify the storage conditions is increasing. The present study was performed on two species, commonly sold in large-scale distribution: Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) and musky octopus (Eledone spp.). Fifty fresh cephalopod specimens were analyzed at refrigeration temperature (2 ± 2 °C), then frozen at −20 °C for 10 days and finally thawed and analyzed again. The performance of three near-infrared (NIR) instruments in identifying storage conditions were compared: The benchtop NIR Multi Purpose Analyzer (MPA) by Bruker, the portable MicroNIR by VIAVI and the handheld NIR SCiO by Consumer Physics. All collected spectra were processed and analyzed with chemometric methods. The SCiO data were also analyzed using the analytical tools available in the online application provided by the manufacturer to evaluate its performance. NIR spectroscopy, coupled with chemometrics, allowed discriminating between fresh and thawed samples with high accuracy: Cuttlefish between 82.3–94.1%, musky octopus between 91.2–97.1%, global model between 86.8–95.6%. Results show how food frauds could be detected directly in the marketplace, through small, ultra-fast and simplified handheld devices, whereas official control laboratories could use benchtop analytical instruments, coupled with chemometric approaches, to develop accurate and validated methods, suitable for regulatory purposes.

Fish species substitution is one of the most common forms of fraud all over the world, as fish identification can be very challenging for both consumers and experienced inspectors in the case of fish sold as fillets. The difficulties in distinguishing among different species may generate a “grey area” in which mislabelling can occur. Thus, the development of fast and reliable tools able to detect such frauds in the field is of crucial importance. In this study, we focused on the distinction between two flatfish species largely available on the market, namely the Guinean sole (Synaptura cadenati) and European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), which are very similar looking. Fifty fillets of each species were analysed using three near-infrared (NIR) instruments: the handheld SCiO (Consumer Physics), the portable MicroNIR (VIAVI), and the benchtop MPA (Bruker). PLS-DA classification models were built using the spectral datasets, and all three instruments provided very good results, showing high accuracy: 94.1% for the SCiO and MicroNIR portable instruments, and 90.1% for the MPA benchtop spectrometer. The good classification results of the approach combining NIR spectroscopy, and simple chemometric classification methods suggest great applicability directly in the context of real-world marketplaces, as well as in official control plans.

In the field of food control for fresh products, the identification of foods subjected to illicit conservation treatments to extend their shelf life is fundamental. Fresh fish products are particularly subjected to this type of fraud due to their high commercial value and the fact that they often have to be transported over a long distance, keeping their organoleptic characteristics unaltered. Treatments of this type involve, e.g., the bleaching of the meat and/or the momentary abatement of the microbial load, while the degradation process continues. It is therefore important to find rapid methods that allow the identification of illicit treatments. The study presented here was performed on 24 sea bass samples divided into four groups: 12 controls (stored on ice in the fridge for 3 or 24 h), and 12 treated with a Cafodos-like solution for 3 or 24 h. Muscle and skin samples were then characterized using micro-Raman spectroscopy. The data were pre-processed by smoothing and taking the first derivative and then PLS-DA models were built to identify short- and long- term effects on the fish’s muscle and skin. All the models provided the perfect classification of the samples both in fitting and cross-validation and an analysis of the bands responsible for the effects was also reported. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time Raman spectroscopy has been applied for the identification of a Cafodos-like illicit treatment, focusing on both fish muscle and skin evaluation. The procedure could pave the way for a future application directly on the market through the use of a portable device.

The increasing consumption of raw and minimally processed fish products has raised concerns regarding the risk of anisakiasis, the infection caused by ingesting larvae of the Anisakis genus. Freezing is currently the standard control measure; however, alternative non-thermal technologies are being explored to preserve product quality while ensuring safety. Several studies have investigated the impacts of high-pressure processing (HPP) on seafood products, but limited information is available about the minimum effective pressure required to achieve complete inactivation of Anisakis larvae while maintaining fillet quality. Moreover, no studies have evaluated the use of portable near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a rapid tool to authenticate HPP-treated fish products. This study evaluated the efficacy of HPP in inactivating Anisakis spp. larvae in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) fillets and investigated the impact of treatment on physicochemical quality parameters. In addition, the reliability of portable NIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics was assessed for rapid discrimination between treated and untreated samples. HPP treatments were applied with different pressure–time combinations, and the treatment at 200 MPa for 5 min was selected as the optimal treatment since it was able to achieve 100% larval inactivation. Quality evaluation showed significant changes in color (increase in L* values) and texture parameters, consistent with pressure-induced denaturation, while lipid oxidation remained within acceptable limits. NIR spectra analysis combined with chemometrics approach allowed discrimination between not treated and HPP-treated fillets with an overall accuracy of 98%. The results demonstrate that HPP at moderate pressure levels represents a promising alternative to freezing for Anisakis larvae inactivation in farmed sea bream, and that portable NIR spectroscopy may serve as a rapid, non-destructive tool for on-site verification of treatment. This combined approach could support the development of innovative control strategies in seafood safety management

Mechanically separated meat (MSM) is a product of animal origin obtained by applying mechanical force to remove residual meat from bones, a process that results in the loss or modification of muscle fiber structure. Its use is regulated in the European Union. Clearly distinguishing MSM from non-MSM is essential not only to maintain high product standards but also to ensure full compliance with food labeling regulations and to meet consumer expectations for transparency. This study aimed to evaluate a standardized histological protocol for differentiating high-pressure MSM, low-pressure MSM, and non-MSM pork meat using light microscopy, combined with image analysis and statistical evaluation. In total 40 MSM samples (20 high-pressure, 20 low-pressure) and 20 non-MSM samples were analyzed. The histological protocol achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing MSM from non-MSM. Image analysis revealed significant differences between high- and low-pressure MSM in calcium aggregate parameters. The method provides a reliable, cost-effective tool for MSM identification in routine food inspection. However, because the study was conducted exclusively on pork samples, the results should be interpreted within the context of this type of meat. Additional validation across other species and production systems is required to confirm the broader applicability of the method.