Proximate Analysis and Heavy Metal Concentrations of Tissues of Cockles (Anadara granosa) from Several Cockle Farms in Peninsular Malaysia; Analisis Proksimat dan Logam Berat dalam Tisu Kerang (Anadara granosa) di Beberapa Tapak Akuakultur di Semenanjung Malaysia

Cockle is a popular high protein seafood which is commercially important in Malaysia. The aim of this study was to determine the proximate composition of protein, fat and ash and concentrations of heavy metals in the tissues of cockles obtained from cockle farms at Kuala Juru (Pulau Pinang), Kuala Sepetang (Perak) and Kuala Selangor (Selangor) for the purpose of examining the safe level of heavy metals and the amount of several nutrients from the cockle tissues. Concentrations of protein, fat and ash in the tissues of cockles were in the range of 70.0-75.6, 8.9-10.6 and 9.8-17.5 % dry weight respectively and energy contents were 371.0, 384.2 and 377.9 kcal/ 100 g dry weight for samples from Kuala Juru, Kuala Sepetang and Kuala Selangor respectively. The concentrations of essential metals in the total soft tissue samples were Cu = 2.4-16.3, Fe = 421.0-1350.0, Mn = 10.0-38.1 and Zn = 72.2-201.7 μg/ g dry weight while the concentrations of toxic metals were Cd = 1.3-12.2, Cr = 4.3-9.8, Ni = 8.3-20.8 and Pb = 4.1-20.8 μg/ g dry weight. This study showed that daily intakes of cockle of more than 1.50 g Pb (dry weigh) from Kuala Sepetang and 5.78 g Cd (dry weight) from Kuala Selangor might impose health risk to consumers. (author)