Analysis of the Nutritional Composition of Aquatic Species Toward Nutritional Improvement in a Lao PDR Rural Area

Nine species of fish (Clarias batrachus, Clarias microcephalus, Anabas testudineus, Henicorhynchus siamensis, Puntius brevis, Rasbora aurotaenia, Channa striata, Channa gachua, and Esomus metallicus) and three types of shellfish (Viviparidae spp., Pomacea spp., and Unionidae spp.) available in Nameuang Village and in the capital city Vientiane of Lao People's Democratic Republic were analyzed in terms of nutritional composition to investigate their value as food resources with the aim of improving the nutritional status in rural areas of the country. A total of 35 types of fish and shellfish were consumed in the surveyed village. Some species of fish had a high protein content (19-20 g/100 g sample) and quality (e.g., lysine content = 1,750-1,870 mg/g sample and 93.8-97.9 mg/g protein). Their protein qualities were endorsed by amino acid score (amino acid score 100). These results suggest that the analyzed aquatic animals have high nutrient quality and are efficient/indispensable food resources for improving the nutritional status of the rural population of the country.