Anatomical Proportions and Chemical and Amino Acid Composition of Common Shrimp Species in Central Vietnam

Abstract

Studies were conducted to evaluate shrimps of the most abundant species caught in Central Vietnam (Metapenaeus affinis, Penaeus semisulcatus and P. monodon) with emphasis on yield, nutrient composition, amino acid composition and effect of heat treatment. Mean edible shrimp flesh (SF) and shrimp by-product (SB; head and shells with tail) yields averaged 56.7 and 43.3%, respectively, of total wet body wt., withM. affinis generating the highest by-product yield (45.7%) and P. semisulcatus the lowest (40.6%). Significant differences in DM, crude protein, and ash contents were found between SF and SB. The DM content of SF (21.5%) was lower than that of SB (24.9%), and ash content (DM basis) of SB was >3× that of SF. Crude protein content was twice as high in SF than in SB. The SB contained (DM basis) between 44.0 and 49.8% crude protein and between 13.5 and 18.1% chitin. Ca content of SB differed between species. On average, the sum of amino acids in SB corresponded to 89.3% of the crude protein, and essential amino acids accounted for approx. 50% of total amino acids. The most abundant amino acids were arginine, and aspartic and glutamic acids, which accounted for 33% of total amino acids. Minor, but significant, differences in some amino acid concn. were observed for SB between species. With the exception of DM and ether extract contents, all other chemical constituents of entire shrimps, SF and SB were not significantly affected by heat treatment.