Nutritional composition of Tubifex tubifex Mueller, 1774 (Annelidae)

Nutritional composition of Tubifex tubifex Mueller, 1774 (Annelidae) was investigated. Percentage crude protein, lipid, ash and moisture content of T. tubifex were 11.02~c0.58, 2.14~c0.06, 1.83~c0.16 and 18.78~c0.83 respectively. Total fatty acid content was 7.28 mg/100 mg dry weight and omega -3 (C18:3n3 and C20:5n3) and omega -6 (C18:2n6c and C20:4n6) fatty acids composed 18%, 22% of the total, respectively. C22:6n3 (DHA) were not present in the sample. The most abundant amino acids (amino acid g/100 g protein) were lysine (6.54~c0.12), leucine (6.52~c0.13) fallowed by arganine (5.39~c0.04), valine (4.92~c0.09), treonine (4.81~c0.09), phenylalanine (4.36~c0.09), isoleucine (4.31~c0.08), tyrosine (2.74~c0.07), histidine (2.67~c0.03) and methionine (1.82~c0.04). Total carotenoid level was measured as 15.02~c0.80 mg/kg.