Seasonal fluctuations in fatty acid profile and biochemical traits of edible deep-water shrimp Heterocarpus woodmasoni

Heterocarpus woodmasoni is an edible deep-sea caridean shrimp that holds significant commercial importance and is sourced from the south-west coast of India in the Arabian Sea. In this research study, we extensively examined the biochemical, mineral and seasonal fatty acid compositions of H. woodmasoni. ANOVA tests, unveiled noteworthy disparities (p < 0.05) in moisture, crude fat and protein content between male and female H. woodmasoni. In contrast, we observed no significant differences in ash, carbohydrate, and cholesterol levels. Regarding minerals, the prominent macro elements detected in H. woodmasoni included K, P, Na, Ca and Mg with Zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) emerging as the dominant micro elements followed by Copper (Cu) and Selenium (Se). Notably, these shrimp exhibited a well-balanced ratio of essential to non-essential amino acids. Within the n-6 series, linoleic acid (18:2n-6), dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (20:3n-6), and arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) were identified as the primary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), exhibiting distinct concentrations across sexes and seasons. Both male and female H. woodmasoni displayed lower atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices, ranging between 0.4 and 0.6 and 0.2–0.4, respectively, indicating a favourable cardiovascular health profile. Principal component analysis resulted in a two-principal component model explaining 83.4 % and 67.3 % of the total data variance for amino acid and fatty acid indices, respectively. This comprehensive biochemical analysis of both male and female H. woodmasoni reaffirms the species' status as a valuable and healthful resource, characterized by its abundance of high-quality nutritional components.