Proximate analysis, isolation and identification of amino acids and sugars from raw and cooked commercial shrimp waste

Abtract Crustacean waste generated from the fishing industry represents approximately 70% of the total landings. This abundant waste may pose an environmental hazard due to the ease of deterioration of the fish tissue in the landfill sites; disposing of the waste, however, can be achieved at considerable cost to the industry; alternatively, the waste can be utilized by extracting useful components and incorporating them Into desirable seafood products. In order to achieve a better management of shellfish waste, the composition of the raw and cooked waste should be determined and economically viable methodologies developed, to extract the important components. Proximate analysis of the commercial shrimp waste indicated the presence of 94.6 % protein and 4.2% fat on dry basis. The HPLC analysis indicated the presence of 17 amino acids (Asp, Glu, Ser, Thr, Arg, Gly, Ala, Pro, Val, Met, Leu, Ile, Phe, Cys, Lys, His and Tyr, proline being the most abundant) and 7 sugars (ribose, xylose, fructose, mannose, glucose, glucosamine and galactosamlne; ribose being the most abundant). The changes in the concentration of the amino acids and sugars after the heat treatment, are explained based on their interaction through the Maillard reaction and by the thermal hydrolysis of proteins and polysaccharides found in the tissue.