Seasonal variations of free amino acids and nucleotide-related compounds in the muscle of cultured Taiwanese puffer Takifugu rubripes

SUMMARY: Seasonal variation in the level of extractive nitrogenous components was investigated in the muscle of puffer Takifugu rubripes cultured in two different areas of Taiwan. There were no seasonal and regional variations in the proximate composition of the fish. Of the free amino acids (FAA) in the muscle of puffer, the predominant one was taurine, followed by glycine, lysine, and alanine. Among nucleotide-related compounds, inosine monophosphate (IMP) and guanosine monophosphate (GMP) were the most prominent compounds. The total nucleotide-related compounds in the muscle of puffer were higher in July and November than those in the other months. The level of total taste-active components including glycine, alanine, arginine, GMP, IMP, and adenosine 5'-monophosphate was much higher in the muscle of puffer collected from July to January. Therefore, the puffer is probably more palatable in these periods.