Abstract: In order to achieve high value-added and comprehensive utilization of jellyfish, the proximate nutritional compositions, amino acid compositions and lipids and fatty acid compositions of different tissues of fresh jellyfish (umbrella, gastric column, scapulet, oral arm, tentacle, gonad and circular muscle) were analyzed and evaluated. The results showed that moisture contents in different tissues were over 93%, and gastric column was the highest in moisture (97.93%). Ash contents were high in all tissues investigated and the values in umbrella, tentacle, gastric column and oral arm were higher than 50% (on a dry weight basis). After deducting ash content, fat contents on a dry weight basis were higher in tentacle and circular muscle, which were 18.80% and 18.76%, respectively. Fat contents in other tissues were relatively lower. Crude proteins were high in all these tissues, especially in umbrella, scapulet and oral arm, which could reach 62.81%–80.94%. The total sugar contents in all the tissues were between 6.28% and 13.36%. Twenty amino acids were detected in gonad and circular muscle, in which essential amino acids were above 25%, which is higher than that of other tissues. Polar lipid contents were higher than cholesterol in different tissues. In umbrella and tentacle, saturated fatty acids (SFA) were more abundant than unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), while in other tissues SFA were lower than UFA. The present research showed that all the tissues in jellyfish were rich in nutrients, and different tissues in jellyfish had different features, which explicate great potential of jellyfish for development and utilization.

Key words: jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum Kishinouye), nutrient composition, amino acids, lipid composition, fatty acids