Chemotype and genotype chemometrical evaluation applied to authentication and traceability of “Tonda Gentile Trilobata” hazelnuts from Piedmont (Italy)

Italian hazelnuts “Tonda Gentile Trilobata” cv are recognised as high quality products with good sensory characteristics and interesting technological properties. An approach was employed to identify the “Tonda Gentile Trilobata” hazelnuts from Piedmont (Italy), differentiating them from other hazelnuts belonging to a different cultivar and/or different geographic origin, on the basis of their chemical and genetic characteristics. Proximate composition, fatty acid profile, polyphenols content and fingerprint, antioxidant activity, and protein patterns were determined. Concerning the genetic analysis, RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphism DNA) technique was employed to detect polymorphisms amongst different hazelnut samples. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on the chemical and genomic data sets permitted to identify the “Tonda Gentile Trilobata” cv. The analysis of chemotype allowed differentiating the Chilean sample from the other “Tonda Gentile Trilobata” hazelnuts, whilst no genetic differences were observed amongst these samples. On the other hand, genomic data confirmed that RAPD is able to discriminate amongst cultivars.