Quantitative benefit and risk assessment of arsenic and nutrient levels in cooked and raw chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) using an in vitro digestion model

•The proportion of inorganic arsenic in raw crabs is less than that in the in vitro model.•Steaming duration is an important factor affecting the digestion of fatty acids.•To achieve balanced nutrition, the steaming duration of the crabs should exceed 30 min. The safety and quality of aquatic foods are a public concern due to their content of pollutants, such as arsenic. A formula is derived for quantifying the benefit-risk ratio (HQ) of the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids vs. arsenic in Chinses mitten crabs. Among these arsenic species, the proportion of inorganic arsenic, which is extremely harmful to the human body, is