Simple sequence repeats are able to trace tomato cultivars in tomato food chains

PCR-based markers represent an innovative tool to trace raw material in agro-food chain and certify the identity of premium food products. We evaluated Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) as a possible robust, fast and cost-effective technique that allows tomato food products to be traced through the production chain back to the variety. We used 14 microsatellite loci to discriminate 17 of the most common tomato varieties used in Italy for processing. We then proved that SSR allelic profiles are conserved through the production chain of three different types of commercial products and that DNA fingerprinting pinpoints possible cases of erroneous information. Our data confirmed the efficacy of microsatellites to discriminate tomato cultivars and proved for the first time that, if appropriately selected, SSRs allow an unambiguous identification through the production and distribution chain of tomato products.