Compositional and nutritional studies on Babylonia areolata and B.formosae

The amino acid composition and nutritional value of wild Babylonia areolata and B.formosae, and cultured B.areolata were determined. Amino acid results showed that the protein contained nutritionally useful quantities of most of the essential amino acids. On the basis of dry matter of the muscles, the total amino acids (TAA) ranged from 61.14% to 64.68% and the total essential amino acids (TEAA) ranged from 27.73% to 29.41%, making up from 45.35% to 47.55% of total amino acids. The contents of delicious amino acids ranged from 23.68% to 26.50%, mean being 24.77% and making up 42.56% of total amino acids. Amino acid score ranged from 41.46 to 54.30 and from 44.82 to 58.70 when compared with the essential amino acid pattern of FAO/WHO (1972) and FAO/WHO/UNU (1985), respectively. Threonine appeared to be the fist limiting. Because of the high content in total amino acids, total essential amino acid, total delicious amino acids and higher amino acids score, B.formosae was more nutritional and delicious than B.areolata and deserved developing.