Meat Quality of Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus pelagicus, Linnaeus 1758) Fattened with Different Diets

Abstract

The research aim was to study the growth and meat quality of blue swimming crab fattened with different diets: chopped fish; live blue mussels; moist pellets; chopped fish and red seaweed; blue mussel and red seaweed; moist pellets and red seaweed; and red seaweed. The results of fattening crabs, measured by the change from an average initial weight of 100 g for 4 weeks, showed that crabs fed blue mussel had the highest weight gain (38.79%), followed by: crabs fed moist pellets; chopped fish; and chopped fish and red seaweed (32.16, 32.13 and 32.06%, respectively). Crabs fed blue mussel and red seaweed had the highest survival rate (88.33 %). Crabs fed only red seaweed had not only the lowest weight gain (23.12%) and survival rate (75%), but also had the lowest protein, fat, amino acid and fatty acid contents. Feeding with red seaweed or supplemented with red seaweed gave the highest methionine, EPA, DHA and astaxanthin content (0.37 g/100g, 20.93, 2.50% and 10.32 mg/g, respectively), but the lowest cholesterol content (63.50 mg/100g). The color of the crab meat in each part affected by the various diets was significantly different. Toughness of the crab meat fed blue mussel was the highest (11.45 N). A sensory evaluation revealed coincidental results between the chemical/physical measurement and the organoleptic perception of the panelists in firmness, juiciness, odor, color and overall acceptance. Claw and leg meats had significant differences in color while feeding with red seaweed gave more brown to red coverage meat color.