The complex bioorganism blue mussel (Mytilus edulis trossulus complex) is a sustainable and ecofriendly resource for tailored compounds with high potential for valorization in food and non-food sectors. Their popularity as sea food has increased over the last years because of their proteins and omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The aim of this study was to identify the effects of different genotypes/provenance and farming conditions, by changing the depth (hydrostatic pressure of the environment) on the metabolism and resulting biocomposition. This includes the lipid biosynthesis and remodeling of membrane lipids, as mussels undergo homeoviscous adaptation.
Therefore, mussels cultivated since 2022 in the Kiel fjord (Baltic sea) from three different cultivation depths (3, 6, and 9 m) were harvested and frozen at -20°C until analysed. For analysis mussels were defrosted and manually deshelled. Collected mussel meat was mashed, freeze dried and resulted powder was used for lipid extraction using two different solvent mixtures by means of ultrasonic rod. Subsequently the lipid content was determined gravimetrically whereas the fatty acid profile was analyzed using gas chromatography.
The results from 2022 showed that both used solvent combinations extracted the same amounts of lipids. Significantly less lipids were extracted at 9m (9.3 ±0.2% of dry mass) cultivation depth than at 3 and 6m (11.9 ±0.6% of dry mass). However, mussels grown at 9m were considerably smaller than those at other depths. In addition, slightly less lipids were extracted at 6m cultivation depth than at 3m. EPA (23%) was the dominat fatty acid in the mussel meat followed by DHA (19%). The EPA content was highest at 3 m cultivation depth.