DNA-based species authentication certification in seafood: An exploratory assessment of consumer acceptance using decision tree analysis

Seafood authenticity is a growing concern due to the globalisation of food supply chains and the frequent occurrence of species substitution and mislabelling, particularly in processed products. Currently, official control authorities primarily rely on morphological criteria to assess species authenticity. While some voluntary certification schemes incorporate species testing within their internal auditing processes, systematic DNA-based verification is not formally embedded in existing certification standards. This study uses a data mining approach to investigate the factors influencing Italian consumers’ fish-purchasing behaviour and their interest and willingness to pay (WTP) for a DNA-based certification of seafood species authenticity. Data were collected via a direct consumer survey (n = 408) and analysed using a C4.5 decision-tree model. The results revealed that consumers typically have a limited ability to correctly identify fish species and lack knowledge of existing certification schemes. Nonetheless, 72.8% of respondents expressed interest in the potential implementation of a DNA-based certification scheme, with 68% indicating a WTP a premium price (mostly up to 5–10%). The decision tree revealed that the main variables influencing consumers’ interest in DNA-based certification were their previous engagement with products, household income, education attainment, weekly fish expenditure, and trust in labelling information. While these findings are based on an exploratory convenience sample, they suggest that implementing a DNA-based certification scheme is a potentially valuable tool for the seafood industry, helping to reinforce consumer trust, enhance transparency and traceability in supply chains, and create new opportunities for strategic market differentiation.