Development and application of protocols to certify the authenticity and traceability of Apulian typical products in olive sector

Methods to trace food through the different stages of production, processing and distribution, play a key role in assuring food safety and in protecting product authenticity. Biotechnologies provide innovative tools useful for these purposes. Among the Italian regions, Apulia has the highest number of typicality brands in the olive sector, with five PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) extra virgin olive oils and one PDO table olive. In this article, authors review the studies on molecular and metabolic tracking of PDO products in the Apulian olive sector, with particular focus on the "Terra di Bari", "Collina di Brindisi" and "Terra d'Otranto" PDO olive oils and the "Bella di Cerignola" PDO table olive.