Geographic traceability of seafood is key for controlling its quality and safeguarding consumers’
interest. The present study assessed if the fatty acid (FA) profile of the adductor muscle (AM) of
fresh cockles (Cerastoderma edule) can be used to discriminate the origin of specimens collected in
different bivalve capture/production areas legally defined within a coastal lagoon. Results suggest
that this biochemical approach holds the potential to trace sampling locations with a spatial
resolution <10 Km, even for areas with identical classification for bivalve production. Cockles further
away from the inlet, i.e. in areas exposed to a higher saline variation, exhibited lower levels of
saturated fatty acids, which are key for stabilizing the bilayer structure of cell membranes, and a
higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which enhance bilayer fluidity. Results suggest that
the structural nature of the lipids present in the AM provides a stable fatty acid signature and holds
potential for tracing the origin of bivalves to their capture/production areas
