The effects of gender, size and life-cycle stage on the chemical composition of smoothhound shark (Mustelus mustelus) meat.

Background: Knowledge on the chemical composition of foods, and on the variation in such components as influenced by endogenous factors, is required for nutritional labelling, dietetic planning and food processing. This study examined the effects of endogenous factors (gender, size and life-cycle stage) on the chemical components (proximate, amino acid, fatty acid, mineral and mercury contents) of smoothhound shark (Mustelus mustelus) meat.

Results: Levels of moisture, protein, lipids, ash, amino acids and most minerals were not affected (P > 0.05) by the gender, size or life-cycle stages of the sharks. The fatty acid content was higher in females than in males, as well as in non-pregnant females compared to pregnant females. Certain fatty acids decreased in quantity in medium-sized sharks (prior to maturity). Pregnant females had higher aluminium (Al) and copper (Cu) levels than non-pregnant females and mercury (Hg) levels were highest in large male sharks.

Conclusion: This study has, for the first time, established that endogenous factors have minimal influence on the chemical composition of M. mustelus meat, demonstrating the feasibility of describing an average composition for this species. Additionally, new insights have been obtained on potential safety concerns (mercury) associated with consumption of the meat that require further investigation.