Abstract: To study the differences of fatness and nutrient content of gonad between naturally and artificially ripened Mytilus coruscus, fatness and nutrient contents in three developmental periods were sampled and analyzed. The results showed that the fatness changed consistently with the content of crude protein and crude fat, and achieved the peak in mature period. The fatness was 18.80% and the crude protein and crude fat was 62.57% and 21.05%, respectively, in the artificially ripened Mytilus coruscus, which were higher than those in the natural ripened shells. The contents of mineral substance in growing period and mature period of natural ripened Mytilus coruscus were 32.18% and 18.27%, respectively, which were comparatively higher than those in the artificially ripened Mytilus coruscus. The moisture content showed little difference between the two ways of maturity. These findings suggested that the artificially ripened Mytilus coruscus showed obvious advantages in fastness and moisture content.

Key words: Mytilus coruscus, artificially ripened, fatness, nutrition content