Nutritional quality of wastes emanating from processing of genotypes of freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium vollenhovenii

Abstract

Wastes from processing of chelipede genotypes of Macrobrachium vollenhovenii were analysed for nutritional quality. The analysed genotypes were individuals possessing equal length of left and right sides arms/chelipedes, longer left side and shorter left side (EA, LL, and SL). Wastes (combined head, exoskeleton, walking appendages and chelipede) from production of fleshy tissues of each genotype were assessed for indices of nutritional quality, proximate composition (PC): dry matter—DM (% wet weight), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE), ash (AC), and carbohydrate (CHO), expressed in % DM, and in vitro digestibility (IvD) at 3:1 sample to digestive enzyme (pepsin and trypsin). Data were analysed for differences (p < 0.05) across genotypes. Significant differences occurred in PC of genotypes’ wastes. DM ranged between 35.70 ± 1.41 (SL) and 49.90 ± 0.28 (EA). The CP, CF, EE, AC and CHO ranges were: 40.53 ± 0.56 (LL)–53.73 ± 0.24 (SL), 7.64 ± 0.13 (LL)–10.98 ± 0.12 (SL), 7.11 ± 0.09 (EA)–9.02 ± 0.17 (LL), 11.36 ± 0.07 (EA)–19.56 ± 0.08 (SL) and 6.08 ± 0.03 (SL)–31.37 ± 0.56 (EA). The SL differed from EA and LL in 100%PC; EA differed from LL in 42.9% PC. Digestibility (pepsin plus trypsin): 41.7 ± 0.84% (LL), 52.86 ± 1.31% (EA) and 55.02 ± 0.53% (SL) were dissimilar, LL and EA digested better in pepsin, while SL digested better in trypsin. Wastes showed qualities of proteineous food. However, differences in genotypes’ nutritional qualities would influence their relative utilities.