Morphological and Nutritional Analysis of White Shrimp, Litopenaeus setiferus, Muscle

In response to the growing seafood demand and the environmental impact of traditional aquaculture and fishing methods, this study explored the potential of cellular agriculture for sustainable seafood production. Focusing on shrimp, the most consumed seafood in the United States, our project aimed to establish a comprehensive database of the morphological and physicochemical properties of shrimp muscle. This database is intended to support the development of cell-based seafood by providing a benchmark for texture, color, and nutritional content. To do so, thirty large white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) were analyzed through texture analysis, colorimetry, Hematoxylin and Eosin staining, and proximate analysis. The findings indicated consistent texture profile analysis parameters across the shrimp's surface and cross-section, while colorimetry values showed significant differences. H&E staining revealed similar cellular patterns, affirming the uniformity of shrimp texture. The proximate analysis offers a nutritional target for developing shrimp analogs. The study concludes that while shrimp texture is consistent, addressing color variation is crucial for the development of cell-based shrimp analogs. Future research should include characteristics of cooked shrimp and other seafood products to expand the database for cellular agriculture applications.