Comparison of the Nutritional Composition of Bullfrog Meat from Different Parts of the Animal

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional content of bullfrog meat from different parts of the animal, including fore-chest, thigh and calf. Bullfrog meat was found to be a rich source of proteins, essential amino acids and minerals, but with a low fat content, compared with other aquatic meat products. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between thigh and calf in mineral content (K, P, Na, Mg, Ca, Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn), but the contents of K, P, and Mg were higher in thigh and calf than in the fore-chest (p<0.05). The salt-soluble, water-soluble and insoluble protein bands in sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) electrophoresis, from fore-chest, thigh and calf were similar, with the most abundant bands being 35 kDa (salt-soluble protein), 35-48 kDa (water-soluble protein) and 48 kDa (insoluble protein). The results showed that the insoluble protein content in the fore-chest meat was higher than that in the thigh meat and calf meat, but the salt-soluble protein fraction was the most abundant in thigh meat. These results showed that the nutrients in different parts of bullfrog meat were different.