Taste Components of Japanese Spiny and Shovel-Nosed Lobsters

Abstract

Methanol extracts were prepared from the abdominal muscles of Japanese spiny and shovel-nosed lobsters and free amino acids, ATP related compounds, betaines, and other components in the extracts were analyzed. The two lobsters were rich in glycine, arginine, glycine betaine, trimethylamine oxide, glutamine, taurine, homarine, proline, alanine, ADP, Na+, K+, PO43-, Cl-. Glycine, arginine, proline, alanine, glutamic acid, glycine betaine, trimethylamine oxide, AMP, IMP, NaCl, KCl, and KH2PO4. They were confirmed to be taste-active for the Japanese spiny lobster taste by the sensory taste test. As for shovel-nosed lobster, valine, isoleucine, leucine, sarcosine, and methionine were taste-active in addition to the above 11 components except IMP.