Composición química proximal y morfométría de cholga (Aulacomya ater, Molina, 1782) y chorito (Mytilus chilensis, Hupé, 1854) comercializados en la Región de Magallanes

Abstract

We examined the proximal chemical composition, morphometric parameters and the amount of edible portion in the Chilean ribbed mussel (A. ater) and blue mussel (M. chilensis) collected from sites along the Magellan Strait, mainly near National parks at the Sub-Antarctic Magellan region, Chile. The higher morphometric parameters were obtained from blue mussels sampled in bahia Gente Grande, which is the only site near the coast of Tierra del Fuego island, on the Eastern side of the Strait of Magellan. The higher biometric parameters were obtained from ribbed mussels sampled in Puerto Eden, on the western side of the Strait of Magellan. The fresh meat of both mussels had high moisture content. The highest percentage of biochemical component in both bivalve species was protein, followed by carbohydrates and, to a lesser extent, lipids. It is important to note that the ribbed mussel has a greater amount of carbohydrates and energy (Kcal/100 g) than the blue mussels. The differences observed between both specie in biochemical compositions, morphometric parameters and in the amount of fresh meat, may be explained by the biological characteristics of each species. A comparison of our results to parameters in international and national tables of food composition, revealsthat the commercial bivalve organisms examined in this study are of very good nutritional quality.