Caracterização e valorização do lagostim Procambarus clarkii

Abstract

Com este trabalho pretendeu-se caracterizar e valorizar o lagostim vermelho da louisiana, espécie invasiva e que actualmente representa uma praga ambiental no território nacional. Desenvolveu-se uma dieta específica para o aumento da massa corporal da espécie em cativeiro e, posteriormente, procedeu-se à extracção de biocompostos com potenciais aplicações farmacêuticas, dermocosméticas e alimentares, nomeadamente o biopolímero quitina (rendimento de 22.06% ± 5.79 (m/m)) e o pigmento antioxidante astaxantina (rendimento de 4.40% ± 2.24 % (m/m)). The main goal of this work was to characterize and add value to louisiana’s red crawfish, an invasive crustacean species that currently represents an environmental plague within the portuguese territory. A specific diet was developed for the crustaceans in captivity, to allow an effective increase of their body mass and weight and, subsequently, biocompounds with potential importance in pharmaceutical, dermocosmetic and food applications were extracted,namely the biopolymer chitin (yield of 22.06% ± 5.79 (w/w)) and the antioxidant pigment astaxanthin (yield of 4.40% ± 2.24 % (w/w)).

The main goal of this work was to characterize and add value to louisiana’s red crawfish, an invasive crustacean species that currently represents an environmental plague within the portuguese territory. A specific diet was developed for the crustaceans in captivity, to allow an effective increase of their body mass and weight and, subsequently, biocompounds with potential importance in pharmaceutical, dermocosmetic and food applications were extracted, namely the biopolymer chitin (yield of 22.06% ± 5.79 (w/w)) and the antioxidant pigment astaxanthin (yield of 4.40% ± 2.24 % (w/w)).