Amino Acid Profiles of the Flesh of the Heterosexual Pairs of <i>Neopetrolisthes maculatus</i>

Abstract

This paper reports on amino acid profiles of the flesh of heterosexuals of porcellanids collected from the Atlantic Ocean at Orimedu beach in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria. Results showed that high values of amino acids were observed in the heterosexual flesh of Neopetrolisthes maculatus (g 100g-1 protein): 17.7 – 17.8 (Glu), 9.90 – 10.0 (Asp), 8.70 – 9.07 (Arg), 7.23 – 7.94 (Leu) and 5.81 – 6.06 (Gly). Total essential amino acid values ranged from 45.2 – 46.2 g 100-1g. Predicted protein efficiency ratio was 3.82 – 4.14, the range of essential amino acid index was 86.9 – 89.9, the biological values ranged from 83.0 – 86.3. The Lys/Trp was 3.31-4.27. Serine was limiting amino acid (0.513 – 0.516) in the egg score comparison; under the essential amino acids scores, Lys (0.840) was limiting in female but Val (0.823) was limiting in the male; Lys (0.796 – 0.905) was limiting in both samples in the pre-school child amino acid requirements. It was observed that out of the twenty parameters determined, male flesh was more concentrated in 60% values than the female flesh and 40% better in female than male. Correlation coefficient result showed that significant differences existed in the amino acids composition at r = 0.01 of the N. maculatus samples.