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Volume 14
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10.3390/foods14203469
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Article

From Sea to Table: The Role of Traceability in Italian Seafood Consumption

by
Simona Violino
1,*,
Damianos Chatzievangelou
2,
Giulio Sperandio
1,
Simone Gaetano Amato
1,
Chiara Fini
1,
Domenico Ciorciaro
3,
Simone Figorilli
1,
Cecilia Ripa
1,
Simone Vasta
1,
Francesca Antonucci
1,
Federico Pallottino
1,
Raffaele De Luca
4,
Daniela Scutaru
1,
Sara Biancardi
1,
Elisa Pignoni
5 and
Corrado Costa
1
1
Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’analisi Dell’economia Agraria (CREA)—Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari, Via della Pascolare 16, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy
2
Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
3
Department of Science and Technology (DiST), Marine Ecology Laboratory, Parthenope University of Naples, Centro Direzionale—Isola C4, 80143 Napoli, Italy
4
Fondazione Massimo Spagnolo E.T.S., Via S. Leonardo 81, 84131 Salerno, Italy
5
Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Foods 2025, 14(20), 3469; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14203469 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 3 July 2025 / Revised: 29 September 2025 / Accepted: 9 October 2025 / Published: 11 October 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Foods of Marine Origin)
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Seafood plays a key role in a healthy diet due to its high content of essential nutrients. However, its global trade and complex supply chains expose it to frequent mislabeling and food fraud. This study investigates Italian consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for traceable seafood products, exploring how blockchain technology (BT) can enhance transparency and economic sustainability in the fish supply chain. An online questionnaire, administered in 2022 and 2024, gathered responses from a diverse demographic, focusing on four representative seafood species: farmed sea bass, striped venus clams, giant red shrimp, and albacore tuna. Results indicate that most respondents—primarily with higher education levels—value traceability and are willing to pay a premium for certified, traceable seafood. The study models the economic feasibility of implementing BT at both national and regional levels and finds that the consumer’s WTP exceeds the additional costs incurred by adopting BT. These findings support the viability of traceability systems in improving food safety and sustainability, while reinforcing consumer trust. The results also underscore the importance of providing clear information at the point of purchase, particularly regarding species, origin, and production methods—factors critical to informed seafood choices and advancing more sustainable consumer behavior in Italy.
Keywords: willingness to pay; online market; made in Italy; fresh seafood; consumers’ preferences; supply-chain; economic sustainability; blockchain willingness to pay; online market; made in Italy; fresh seafood; consumers’ preferences; supply-chain; economic sustainability; blockchain

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Violino, S.; Chatzievangelou, D.; Sperandio, G.; Amato, S.G.; Fini, C.; Ciorciaro, D.; Figorilli, S.; Ripa, C.; Vasta, S.; Antonucci, F.; et al. From Sea to Table: The Role of Traceability in Italian Seafood Consumption. Foods 2025, 14, 3469. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14203469

AMA Style

Violino S, Chatzievangelou D, Sperandio G, Amato SG, Fini C, Ciorciaro D, Figorilli S, Ripa C, Vasta S, Antonucci F, et al. From Sea to Table: The Role of Traceability in Italian Seafood Consumption. Foods. 2025; 14(20):3469. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14203469

Chicago/Turabian Style

Violino, Simona, Damianos Chatzievangelou, Giulio Sperandio, Simone Gaetano Amato, Chiara Fini, Domenico Ciorciaro, Simone Figorilli, Cecilia Ripa, Simone Vasta, Francesca Antonucci, and et al. 2025. "From Sea to Table: The Role of Traceability in Italian Seafood Consumption" Foods 14, no. 20: 3469. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14203469

APA Style

Violino, S., Chatzievangelou, D., Sperandio, G., Amato, S. G., Fini, C., Ciorciaro, D., Figorilli, S., Ripa, C., Vasta, S., Antonucci, F., Pallottino, F., De Luca, R., Scutaru, D., Biancardi, S., Pignoni, E., & Costa, C. (2025). From Sea to Table: The Role of Traceability in Italian Seafood Consumption. Foods, 14(20), 3469. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14203469

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