Chemometric estimation of captured Farfantepenaeus notialis, Pérez-Farfante 1967 (Crustacea: Penaeidae).

Background: Chemometrics can be used to analyze a wide range of food products for authentication, quality control, differentiation and the determination of nutrition quality. Owing to the scarcity of studies relating to the intrinsic physico-chemical characteristics of penaeid shrimps caught on the Nigerian coast, the aim of this research was to estimate the energy-supplying nutrients, mineral elements and functional characteristics of Farfantepenaeus notialis from the Lagos Lagoon.

Methods: The proximate composition was determined using the AOAC method while the energy-providing nutrients were multiplied by the Atwater factors. The samples were digested in HNO3/HCl for mineral determination and the functional properties were estimated using optical measurements.

Results: Higher concentrations of moisture, crude protein, crude fat, and carbohydrate were recorded in the flesh while crude fibre and total ash were higher in the exoskeleton samples. The flesh had higher total metabolisable energy (1524 kJ 100 g-1) and utilizable energy due to protein (36.49 kJ). All the investigated minerals (Ca, Mg, K, P and Na) were more concentrated in the exoskeleton. In both samples, Na/K and Na/Mg ratios were within acceptable ideal ranges of 1.4-3.4 and 2-6, respectively. All values of the MSI (calculated) were lower than their comparative standard index values, having positive contrasts in both exoskeleton and flesh samples. The exoskeleton sample had better functional properties, but the flesh sample was higher in swelling strength.

Conclusions: In addition to good flesh quality, F. notialis contains considerable amounts of energy-providing nutrients. As the content of fibre is very low, F. notialis may be ideal as a weaning food for children.