Nutritional Value of Female Eriocheir sinensis from Three Different Habitats in the Lower Reach of the Yangtze River with a Special Emphasis on Lipid Quality

The cultured habitat of Eriocheir sinensis is a crucial factor influencing its nutritional quality. Therefore, it is essential to clarify the differences in the nutritional quality of Eriocheir sinensis reared in different habitats. This study investigated and compared the nutritional value of three edible parts (the hepatopancreas, gonads, and muscles) of female Eriocheir sinensis from three different habitats in the lower reach of the Yangtze River, with a special emphasis on lipid compounds. In addition to tissue indices, proximate composition, energy content, lipid classes, and fatty acid profile, eight lipid quality indices were proposed to evaluate the lipid nutritional quality. The results indicated that the Eriocheir sinensis from the three different habitats were all in good developmental condition. No significant differences were observed for the hepatopancreas index (HIS), gonadosomatic index (GSI), and total edible yield (TEY) among the three habitats, except for muscle index (MI), which was significantly higher in the L-crabs and E-crabs compared to the P-crabs. The highest protein content was found in the gonads, while the hepatopancreas had the highest crude lipid content. Regarding lipid classes, triglycerides dominated the hepatopancreas, and phospholipids were predominant in muscles, whereas phospholipids and triglycerides were predominant in approximately equal amounts in the gonads. Taking eight lipid quality indices into account together, the three major edible tissues of Eriocheir sinensis from the estuarine habitat had the highest nutritional value, followed by the hepatopancreas from the pond habitat. The current research will provide basic nutritional data for consumers to purchase Eriocheir sinensis and establish the theoretical groundwork for paving new paths for improving the nutritional quality combined with habitat conditions in future studies.