A large quantity of shrimps are imported and consumed as many varieties of dishes in Japan. Eighteen different species of imported shrimps were collected in the central whole sale fish market in Tokyo. This study was undertaken to analyze the nutritive components. The results obtained are as follows:
1. The contents of the edible portions of 18 species of shrimps were: moisture, 72.8-81.9; crude protein, 16.4-22.6; lipid, 1.1-4.2; and ash, 0.7-3.4%.
2. The contents of free amino acid such as glycine, alanine and proline were higher than that of other amino acids. Amino acid which do not constitute protein such as sarcosine, β-alanine, γ-amino butylic acid, ethanolamine and carnosine were detected only in the Pandalidae family of shrimps and anseline was also detected only in zinkenebi (Plesionika edwardsi).
3. Contents of unsaturated fatty acid such as C18:1, C20:1 and C20:5 in Pandalidae family shrimp inhabit thc cold current area and were higher than that of other family.
4. Contents of Na, K and P were high for every kind of shrimp and Na contents varied greatly.
5. Total cholesterol was in the range of 90-150mg/100g in the edible portion of the shrimps.