Chemical composition of shell and flesh of three prawn samples from Lagos lagoon

The protein, ash, fibre and individual mineral ion contents of three species of prawn taken from the Lagos lagoon were determined. The median liveweights of Macrobrachium vollenhovenii (Herklots), Palaemon species A (Powell) and Penaeus notialis were respectively, 25.52 g (shell + head 16.76 g; flesh 9.26 g), 3.15 g (shell + head 1.71 g; flesh 1.44 g) and 5.11 g (shell + head 2.14 g; flesh 2.96 g). All (shell + head) samples had high protein, ash and fibre contents but only the protein content was high in the flesh, which had low or undetectable quantities of fibre. The fat and carbohydrates contents were generally low. In M vollenhovenii the (shell + head) was a better source of Mg, Zn, Cu and K than the flesh, which was a better source of Ca, Ni, P, Fe, Co and Na. In P species A the (shell + head) was a better source of Ca, Mg, P, Cu, Co, Na and K than the flesh (higher in Zn and Ni). In P notialis the (shell + head) was the better source of Ca, Zn, P, Fe and Co and the flesh the better source of Mg, Ni, Fe, Na and K.