Amino Acid and Fatty Acid Composition of Tissues of the Dungeness Crab (Cancer magister)

Abstract

Tissues of the Dungeness crab (Cancer magister Dana) were analyzed for content of total lipid, protein, amino acids, fatty acids, and glucosamine. Ovaries and hepatopancreas were the major lipid storage organs. Gonads (ovaries and testes) and skeletal muscle contained substantially more protein than the other tissues. All tissues except the exoskeleton had balanced amino acid compositions. The exoskeletal protein was deficient in arginine and lysine. Glucosamine was a prominent constituent of the exoskeleton and of the gills and the gastric apparatus. Palmitic, palmitoleic, oleic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids were the major fatty acids found in all tissues.