Résumé
The determination of geographical origin is required for the traceability system of food products. One wayof tracing the source of a product is to analyse the bacterial communities present on the food samples.For this purpose, molecular techniques (such as PCR-DGGE) employing 16S rDNA profiles were used todetect variations in bacterial community structures of salts from various regions. Statistical analyses ofrDNA profiles revealed that distinct microbial communities were detected. The profiles of salt bacteriafrom different producing areas were different and specific for each location and could be used as a barcode to certify the geographical origin of salts. These profiles could serve as specific markers for a specificlocation. This method is proposed as a new traceability tool which provides salts with a unique bar codethat permits to trace back salts from store shelves to their original location of production.