Seasonal variation in the nutrient composition of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from farms in Boka Kotorska Bay, Southern Adriatic Sea

The aim of this study was to investigated the seasonal variation in the nutrient composition of Mytilus galloprovincialis, cultivated in Boka Kotorska Bay, Montenegro, during all seasons in one year. Biometric parameters, meat yield, condition index, proximate composition, minerals, and the lipid and fatty acid compositions of mussels were analyzed. The most significant factors determining these parameters were temperature, food amount and gametogenesis The biometric parameters showed no significant differences during the sampling period. In the spring, meat yields and mussel condition index increased at substantial levels. Low values od meat yield and condition index during cold months have resulted from food shortage and reproductive cycle, when mussels use carbohydrates and protein reserves. The highest amount of protein was detected in mussels harvested in August (10.76%), while the highest amount of lipids was recorded in the winter months (2.11%). Docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid were the most abundant PUFA. The concentration of metals found in mussels from the study area is within the range of mean values reported in the literature. Our results indicate that the best period for mussels harvesting was during the spring and summer (April and August), opposite the winter months when the mussels were not favorable for harvesting.