Deep-sea mud shrimp and shovel-nosed lobster from the Arabian Sea as prospective sources of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids

Abstract

Fatty acid profile of deep-sea mud shrimp (Solenocera hextii) and shovel-nosed lobster (Thenus unimaculatus) harvested from south-west coast (Arabian Sea) of India were evaluated and compared. Palmitic and oleic acids were the principle saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids, respectively in lobster and shrimp species. T. unimaculatus contained greater concentrations of C 20-22 n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. Higher n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio (greater than 4) in addition to considerably greater polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid (>1.2) and hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic ratio (>2) were recorded in shovel-nosed lobster compared to the mud shrimp. Lesser thrombogenicity (≤0.5) and atherogenicity (<1.0) indices recognised T. unimaculatus as a desirable marine species for human nutrition.

Fatty acid composition in common deep-water shrimps of the Arabian Sea and its importance to human nutrition

“…Deep-water shrimps and other shellfish species also have antithrombotic effects, and play important pathophysiology roles in preventing hypertension, inflammation, diabetes and cancer (Ramezani-Fard et al, 2016;Chakraborty et al, 2020;Krishnan et al, 2021). Hence, deep-water shrimps have gained greater acceptance as human food due to their nutritional qualities, principally C 20-22 n-3 PUFAs (Chakraborty et al, 2021(Chakraborty et al, , 2022. But despite their importance as a major fishery resource in the Arabian Sea and off the Indian coast, very little is known about the fatty acid constituents of the commonly available deep-water shrimps and their seasonal variation.…”