NIFS announced that it developed a gene analysis method based on machine learning (ML), a branch of artificial intelligence (AI), to identify the origin of salted shrimp. 

Speaking of salted shrimp, it is hard to tell whether they are domestic or imported ones with the naked eyes, and the formation can vary depending on manufacturing measures. So, the country of origin can be identified only through genetic analysis. 

The existing technique for identification requires expertise to read and analyze the sequencing of specific genes, and it even takes over 7 days to identify. 

To make the process for identification easy and convenience, NIFS applied ML to the existing identification technology for fish products. 

The new technology, using computers, automates the process of analyzing the pattern and characteristics of DNA barcode identifiction of fish products and reading the results. It also cuts the time for analysis in half and is easy for non-experts to use, making the identification of origin of salted shrimp faster and more correct.