Objective
Fish and crustacean are important sources of animal proteins and other essential nutrients required in the human diet. They are widely accepted for their high palatability, high protein content and tender flesh. In this study, proximate analyses were done for flesh of brackish water shrimp species Penaeus monodon and fresh water fish species Oreochromis niloticus .
Results
Percentage of protein content was high values in Penaeus monodon (9.31±0.63) compared to Oreochromis niloticus (7.85±0.79). The highest lipid content was present in Penaeus monodon (0.23±0.22%) while the lowest value was shown by Oreochromis niloticus (0.07±0.16%). Comperativily, the percentage of total carbohydrate content is the highest in Brackish water shrimp than fresh water fish Nile tilapia. The study revealed high protein content and a high fat content in the meat of Penaeus monodon . Information on the nutrient composition of Penaeus monodon is needed to encourage the processing, utilization and marketing of this commonest species of Sri Lanka. It can then be inferred that the shrimps ( Penaeus monodon ) could be employed as a supplement of protein and minerals, so as to balance human nutrition. Hence the consumption of shrimps ( Penaeus monodon ) would help as a good source of nutrients.