Fatty Acid Composition of the Freshwater Crab Travancoriana schirnerae

Abstract

This study determined the fatty acid profile of claw
and body meat of adult male and female Travancoriana
schirnerae, an edible freshwater crab abundant in the
wetlands of Wayanad, Kerala, India. Gas chromatography-
mass spectrometry analysis of the fatty
acid profile detected totally eleven fatty acids, which
include saturated (SFAs) (39.91±4.20%), mono
(MUFAs) (23.45±2.46%) and polyunsaturated fatty
acids (PUFAs) (36.63±0.97%). The major SFAs were
arachidic (C20:0) and behenic acids (C22:0) followed
by palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0) and myristic
acids (C14:0). The MUFAs identified were palmitoleic
(C16:1) and erucic (C22:1) acids and the PUFAs
include linoleic acid (C18:2 w-6), linolenic acid
(C18:3 w-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5 w-3) and
docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 w-3). This study
indicated that the freshwater crab T. schirnerae is a
good source of unsaturated fatty acids, especially w-
3 (26.17%) and w-6 (10.45%) essential fatty acids.