Muscle and exoskeleton extracts analysis of both fresh and marine crustaceans Procambarus clarkii and Erugosquilla massavensis

Both fresh and marine edible crustaceans Procambarus clarkii and Erugosquilla massavensis, respectively, are now important components of our local aquatic fauna in Egypt that have a small yet growing economic importance in our markets. So, the purpose of the present work was, therefore, to assess the protein, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, protein electrophoresis and dendrogram analysis of their extracts for the first time in Egypt which may be in the future play an important role in some pharmaceutical industries and may be used as a specific health foods (functional supplement). In the present study, nutritional analysis of muscle and exoskeleton extracts of P. clarkii and E. massavensisindicated the presence of a high amount of protein, 9 essential amino acids and 9 non essential amino acids including taurine which has a very scientifical action and benefit for men. Also, the results showed the presence of 9 unsaturated fatty acids which included essential fatty acids linoleic acid (Omega 6) and alpha linolenic acid (Omega 3) which have many functions for man (food supplement) in addition to 4 saturated fatty acids. The minerals recorded were Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Mg, Ca, K and P and the vitamins were Vitamims A, D, E, B1, B2, Bp, B6 and B12. From the electrophoretic analysis of protein, the dendrogram analysis showed the highest similarity between the muscle and exoskeleton extracts of P. clarkii.   Key words:    Procambarus clarkii, Erugosquilla massavensis, extracts, total protein, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, protein electrophoresis, dendrogram analysis.