Nutritional and commercial quality of the striped venus clam, Chamelea gallina, from the Adriatic sea

Proximal and fatty acid analysis in Ostrea chilensis, Crassostrea gigas and Mytilus chilensis (Bivalvia: Mollusca) from southern Chile

Oysters and blue mussels are important hydrobiological resources for aquaculture. In Chile, they are farming on the Chiloé island, where around 18% of the world’s mussels are produced, however, their nutritional dynamics are largely unknown. For this reason, the objective of this study was to determine the proximal biochemical composition and the fatty acid profile in the Chilean oyster (Ostrea chilensis), the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and the Chilean mussel (Mytilus chilensis), to perform an intra and interspecific comparison. Shellfish sampled in winter were characterized by a high protein content, followed by medium values for lipid content and a low carbohydrate content compared to similar species in Europe. Also, oysters and mussels were found to be rich in omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LC-PUFA), so they can be considered excellent functional food option for a healthy human diet. Their high contribution of n-3 LC-PUFA ranged between 5.2–12.9 μg FA mg^-1 dry weight with high n-3/n-6 ratios, which depends on both the species and the on-growing location. Both taxa can be considered a plausible option to promote a healthy diet of marine origin in future generations. Also, these results could benefit the projection and development of aquaculture of these mollusks.

How Safe to Eat Are Raw Bivalves? Host Pathogenic and Public Health Concern Microbes within Mussels, Oysters, and Clams in Greek Markets

Raw-bivalves consumption is a wide trend in Mediterranean countries. Despite the unambiguous nutritional value of seafood, raw consumption of bivalves may involve risks that could pose a significant threat to consumers' health. Their filter-feeding behavior is responsible for the potential hosting of a wide variety of microorganisms, either pathogenic for the bivalves or public health threats. Under this prism, the current study was conducted in an effort to evaluate the risk of eating raw bivalves originating from the two biggest seafood markets in Thessaloniki, the largest production area of bivalves in Greece. Both microbiological and molecular methodologies were applied in order to assess the presence of various harmful microbes, including noroviruses, Bonamia, Marteilia, Esherichia coli, Salmonella, and Vibrio. Results indicated the presence of several Vibrio strains in the analyzed samples, of which the halophilic Vibrio harveyi was verified by 16S rRNA sequencing; other than this, no enteropathogenic Vibrio spp. was detected. Furthermore, although Esherichia coli was detected in several samples, it was mostly below the European Union (EU) legislation thresholds. Interestingly, the non-target Photobacterium damselae was also detected, which is associated with both wound infections in human and aquatic animals. Regarding host pathogenic microorganisms, apart from Vibrio harveyi, the protozoan parasite Marteilia refrigens was identified in oysters, highlighting the continuous infection of this bivalve in Greece. In conclusion, bivalves can be generally characterized as a safe-to-eat raw food, hosting more bivalve pathogenic microbes than those of public health concern.

Can Fish and Shellfish Species from the Black Sea Supply Health Beneficial Amounts of Bioactive Fatty Acids?

Fatty acids (FA) are among the most important natural biologically active compounds. A healthy diet involves the intake of different fatty acids especially from omega-3 (n-3) series. Seafood provides a very good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), but in Bulgaria there is limited information regarding the n-3 PUFA contents in traditionally consumed seafood by the population. The aims of this study were to determine lipid content, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA and DHA), and the recommended daily intake of eleven fish species, three bivalves, rapana, and shrimp harvested in the Western part of Black Sea, Bulgaria. Total lipids were extracted according to the method of Blight and Dyer and fatty acid composition was analyzed by GC/MS. Fatty acid profile showed differences among species. PUFA were found in high content among total lipids, especially in shellfish (60.67-68.9% of total lipids) compared to fish species (19.27-34.86% of total lipids). EPA was found in higher amounts in rapana (0.16 g/100 g ww) and two of pelagic species (up to 0.29 g/100 g ww), whereas DHA prevailed in demersal and the most of pelagic fish (0.16-1.92 g/100 g ww) and bivalves (0.16-1.92 g/100 g ww). The health beneficial n3/n6 and PUFA/SFA ratios were found in all analyzed species. The lower values of the lipid nutritional quality indices (AI < 1, TI < 1) and higher for h/H index (0.8-1.78 for fish and 1.52 to 4.67 for bivalves and shrimp) confirm that the commonly consumed Black Sea fish and shellfish may provide health benefits for local populations. This study shows the seafood amounts that can provide the minimum recommended intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Trace elements and omega-3 fatty acids of black sea (Bulgaria) bivalve species Mytilus galloprovincialis, Chamelea gallina and Donax trunculus. Human health risk

The study aimed to evaluate trace elements (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn) concentrations and fatty acids of three Black Sea bivalve species - Donax trunculus, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Chamelea gallina as well as human health risk and benefit-risk ratio based on n-3 LC-PUFA vs. toxic/essential elements. The results showed variations in the element concentrations among the analysed species. D. trunculus generally contained higher levels of the essential elements Cu and Zn, while C. gallina - higher Cr and Fe. Toxic elements content did not exceed the international standards for mollusks. D. trunculus and C. gallina were better dietary sources of n-3 LC-PUFA, with approximately two-fold higher EPA + DHA content than M. galloprovincialis. Health risks for most toxic and essential elements exposed from bivalve consumption were safe based on THQ, HI and TR indices. The benefit-risk ratio indicated that studied species are safe for human consumption, except one case.

Reburial potential and survivability of the striped venus clam (Chamelea gallina) in hydraulic dredge fisheries

The striped venus clam (Chamelea gallina) is the main edible bivalve living in Italian waters. According to Regulation (EU) 2020/2237, undersized specimens (total length of the shell, < 22 mm) must be returned to the sea. C. gallina specimens of different size classes that had undergone hydraulic dredging and mechanized sorting were analysed for reburial ability in a laboratory tank and for survivability in the laboratory (135 clams, 21 days) and at sea (320 clams, 15 days). In the tank experiments, the reburial times (T₅₀ and T₉₀) and the upper (+) and lower (−) confidence intervals (CIs) of the whole sample were about 4 h (CI+ 4.4, CI− 3.6) and 8 h (CI+ 8.2, CI− 7.7), respectively, and were significantly shorter for the medium-sized clams (22–24.9 mm) than for the smallest (< 21.9 mm) and the largest (> 25 mm) specimens. For the field survivability experiments, clams under and above the minimum conservation reference size were placed in separate metal cages. Survival rates were 94.8% and 96.2% respectively in the laboratory and at sea, without significant differences between the two experiments or among size classes. These findings conclusively demonstrate that C. gallina specimens returned to the sea have a very high survival probability and that they can contribute to mitigate the overexploitation of natural populations.

Lipid nutritional quality of marine and freshwater bivalves and their aquaculture potential

Omega-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) are beneficial to human health. Since the industrial revolution, with the tremendous increase of human population, the supply of natural n-3 LC-PUFA is far lower than the nutritional need of n-3 LC-PUFA. Therefore, a new alternative source of natural n-3 LC-PUFA is urgently needed to reduce the supply and demand gap of n-3 LC-PUFA. Mollusks, mainly bivalves, are rich in n-3 LC-PUFA, but the information of bivalves' lipid profile is not well organized. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the published fatty acid profiles of bivalves and reveal the potential of bivalve aquaculture in meeting the nutritional needs of human for n-3 LC-PUFA. There are growing evidence show that the nutritional quality of bivalve lipid is not only species-specific, but also geographical specific. To date, bivalve aquaculture has not been evenly practiced across the globe. It can be seen that aquaculture is predominant in Asia, especially China. Unlike fish aquaculture, bivalve aquaculture does not rely on fishmeal and fish oil inputs, so it has better room for expansion. In order to unleash the full potential of bivalve aquaculture, there are some challenges need to be addressed, including recurrent mass mortalities of farmed bivalves, food safety and food security issues. The information of this article is very useful to provide an overview of lipid nutritional quality of bivalves, and reveal the potential of bivalve aquaculture in meeting the growing demand of human for n-3 LC-PUFA.

Omics approaches for conservation biology research on the bivalve Chamelea gallina

The striped venus (Chamelea gallina) is an important economic resource in the Mediterranean Basin; this species has exhibited a strong quantitative decline in the Adriatic Sea. The aim of this work was to provide a comprehensive view of the biological status of C. gallina to elucidate the bioecological characteristics and genetic diversity of wild populations. To the best of our knowledge, this investigation is the first to perform a multidisciplinary study on C. gallina based on two omics approaches integrated with histological, ecotoxicological, and chemical analyses and with the assessment of environmental parameters. The results obtained through RNA sequencing indicated that the striped venus has a notable ability to adapt to different environmental conditions. Moreover, the stock reduction exhibited by this species in the last 2 decades seems not to have negatively affected its genetic diversity. Indeed, the high level of genetic diversity that emerged from our ddRAD dataset analyses is ascribable to the high larval dispersal rate, which might have played a “compensatory role” on local fluctuations, conferring to this species a good adaptive potential to face the environmental perturbations. These findings may facilitate the efforts of conservation biologists to adopt ad hoc management plans for this fishery resource.

High-value compounds from the molluscs of marine and estuarine ecosystems as prospective functional food ingredients: An overview

Extensive biodiversity and availability of marine and estuarine molluscs, along with their their wide-range of utilities as food and nutraceutical resources developed keen attention of the food technologists and dieticians, particularly during the recent years. The current review comprehensively summarized the nutritional qualities, functional food attributes, and bioactive properties of these organisms. Among the phylum mollusca, Cephalopoda, Bivalvia, and Gastropoda were mostly reported for their nutraceutical applications and bioactive properties. The online search tools, like Scifinder/Science Direct/PubMed/Google Scholar/MarinLit database and marine natural product reports (1984-2019) were used to comprehend the information about the molluscs. More than 1334 secondary metabolites were reported from marine molluscs between the periods from 1984 to 2019. Among various classes of specialized metabolites, terpenes were occupied by 55% in gastropods, whereas sterols occupied 41% in bivalves. The marketed nutraceuticals, such as CadalminTM green mussel extract (Perna viridis) and Lyprinol® (Perna canaliculus) were endowed with potential anti-inflammatory activities, and were used against arthritis. Molluscan-derived therapeutics, for example, ziconotide was used as an analgesic, and elisidepsin was used in the treatment of cancer. Greater numbers of granted patents (30%) during 2016-2019 recognized the increasing importance of bioactive compounds from molluscs. Consumption of molluscs as daily diets could be helpful in the enhancement of immunity, and reduce the risk of several ailments. The present review comprehended the high value compounds and functional food ingredients from marine and estuarine molluscs.

Effects of preparation method on the biochemical characterization and cytotoxic activity of New Zealand surf clam extracts

Molluscan extracts confer a wide range of health promoting properties, one of them is cytotoxicity. Extraction and processing can affect the efficacy and properties of bioactive molecules. New Zealand (NZ) surf clams have never been thoroughly studied for bioactives until recently. However, the effect of cold and heat extraction procedure on biochemical composition and cytotoxic activities of NZ surf clam remains unanswered. The objective is to compare the effects on cytotoxicity of three NZ surf clams (Diamond shell, Crassula aequilatera; Storm shell, Mactra murchisoni; and Deepwater Tua tua, Paphies donacina) extracts via cold or heat process across cancer cell lines to find out which process can preserve bioactivity better. Fractions of extracts prepared via cold or heat procedures were tested for cell growth inhibition, apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest in seven cancer cell lines. Apoptosis was induced through all cell lines, as further evidenced in Caspase-3/7 activities. Cell cycle arrest was focused on G2/M- and S- phases. Petroleum ether and ethyl acetate fractions, with the greatest bioactivity in this study, are rich in lipids and proteins, indicating likely bioactive sources. Cold preparation was responsible for the lowest cancer cell viability and induced greater apoptosis. Cold process retained better bioactivity/cytotoxicity than that of heat-processed extracts. This information may guide future health/nutraceutical clam product development.

Host-microbiota interactions shed light on mortality events in the striped venus clam Chamelea gallina

Mass mortalities due to disease outbreaks have recently affected a number of major taxa in marine ecosystems. Climate- and pollution-induced stress may compromise host immune defenses, increasing the risk of opportunistic diseases. Despite growing evidence that mass mortality events affecting marine species worldwide are strongly influenced by the interplay of numerous environmental factors, the reductionist approaches most frequently used to investigate these factors hindered the interpretation of these multifactorial pathologies. In this study, we propose a broader approach based on the combination of RNA-sequencing and 16S microbiota analyses to decipher the factors underlying mass mortality in the striped venus clam, Chamelea gallina, along the Adriatic coast. On one hand, gene expression profiling and functional analyses of microbial communities showed the over-expression of several genes and molecular pathways involved in xenobiotic metabolism, suggesting potential chemical contamination in mortality sites. On the other hand, the down-regulation of several genes involved in immune and stress response, and the over-representation of opportunistic pathogens such as Vibrio and Photobacterium spp. indicates that these microbial species may take advantage of compromised host immune pathways and defense mechanisms that are potentially affected by chemical exposure, resulting in periodic mortality events. We propose the application of our approach to interpret and anticipate the risks inherent in the combined effects of pollutants and microbes on marine animals in today's rapidly changing environment.

Fatty Acid, Lipid Classes and Phospholipid Molecular Species Composition of the Marine Clam Meretrix lyrata (Sowerby 1851) from Cua Lo Beach, Nghe An Province, Vietnam

This study aims to analyze compositions of fatty acids and phospholipid molecular species in the hard clams Meretrix lyrata (Sowerby, 1851) harvested from Cua Lo beach, Nghe An province, Viet Nam. Total lipid of hard clams Meretrix lyrata occupied 1.7 ± 0.2% of wet weight and contained six classes: hydrocarbon and wax (HW), triacylglycerol (TAG), free fatty acids (FFA), sterol (ST), polar lipid (PoL), and monoalkyl diacylglycerol (MADAG). Among the constituents, the proportion of PoL accounted was highest, at 45.7%. In contrast, the figures for MADAG were lowest, at 1.3%. Twenty-six fatty acids were identified with the ratios of USAFA/SAFA was 2. The percentage of n-3 PUFA (ω-3) and n-6 PUFA (ω-6) was high, occupying 38.4% of total FA. Among PUFAs, arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) accounted for 3.8%, 7.8%, 2.2% and 12.0% of total lipid of the clam respectively. Phospholipid molecular species were identified in polar lipids of the clams consisting six types: phosphatidylethalnolamine (PE, with 28 molecular species), phosphatidylcholine (PC, with 26 molecular species), phosphatidylserine (PS, with 18 molecular species), phosphatidylinositol (PI, with 10 molecular species), phosphatidylglycerol (PG, with only one molecular species), and ceramide aminoethylphosphonate (CAEP, with 15 molecular species). This is the first time that the molecular species of sphingophospholipid were determined, in Meretrix lyrata in particular, and for clams in general. Phospholipid formula species of PE and PS were revealed to comprise two kinds: Alkenyl acyl glycerophosphoethanolamine and Alkenyl acyl glycerophosphoserine occupy 80.3% and 81.0% of total PE and PS species, respectively. In contrast, the percentage of diacyl glycero phosphatidylcholine was twice as high as that of PakCho in total PC, at 69.3, in comparison with 30.7%. In addition, phospholipid formula species of PI and PG comprised only diacyl glycoro phospholipids. PE 36:1 (p18:0/18:1), PC 38:6 (16:0/22:6), PS 38:1 (p18:0/20:1), PI 40:5 (20:1/20:4), PG 32:0 (16:0/16:0) and CAEP 34:2 (16:2/d18:0) were the major molecular species.

Seasonal changes of commercial traits, proximate and fatty acid compositions of the scallop Flexopecten glaber from the Mediterranean Sea (Southern Italy)

This study provides information on biological (gonadosomatic index), commercial quality (condition index and meat yield) and biochemical aspects (proximate composition, fatty acids) of the soft tissues of Flexopecten glaber reared in suspended cages in the Ionian Sea. The results showed that condition index (CI) and meat yield (MY) peaked in December (60 and 30%, respectively) and in April, May and June (from 53 to 60% for CI and from 34 to 36% for MY). Gonadosomatic index showed three main peaks in winter, spring and summer months. Contents of protein 8.18–11.9 g/100 g), lipid (0,.78–1.18 g/100 g) and carbohydrate (1.19–3.30 g/100 g) varied significantly during the study period. Saturated fatty acids was the dominant group, except in December when polyunsaturated fatty acids showed the highest proportion (43% of total FAs). Fatty acids of the n3 group were dominant with docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids. Highest n3/n6 ratios were recorded in spring-summer specimens, with values > of 5. The results showed a better nutritional quality of scallops in May, July and December.

Proximate, fatty acids and metals in edible marine bivalves from Italian market: Beneficial and risk for consumers health

Seafood is recognized as a healthy food choice due to high contents of essential nutrients, including polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of the n-3 family. However, seafood is often contaminated by toxic compounds, which have adverse effects on human health. The aim of this study was to provide information about the percentage of edible part, condition index and the benefit and risk for human consumers health associated to the consumption of eight bivalve species (Flexopecten glaber, Mimachlamys varia, Modiolus barbatus, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Ostrea edulis, Ruditapes philippinarum, Solen marginatus and Venus verrucosa) of high commercial value, purchased from Taranto local fish markets. High percentage of edibility and condition index were found in all analysed species. The relatively high protein content, low levels of lipid and high percentage of healthy n-3 PUFAs make M. varia, O. edulis, S. marginatus, M. galloprovincialis, M. barbatus more suitable for benefit to consumers. Provisional tolerable weekly intake and hazard index calculated on the basis of trace metals in edible tissues, indicated specific recommendations for a responsible daily consumption of shellfish. For the most part of studied species, the estimated balance between beneficial and risk for consumers recommend a daily portion (RDP) lesser of 60 g/person/day than M. galloprovincialis, O. edulis and R. philippinarum (≥60 g/person/day). Careful risk-benefit considerations should promote seafood consumption while minimizing exposure to toxic contaminants.

Changes in the biochemical and nutrient composition of seafood due to ocean acidification and warming

Ocean acidification and warming may threaten future seafood production, safety and quality by negatively impacting the fitness of marine species. Identifying changes in nutritional quality, as well as species most at risk, is crucial if societies are to secure food production. Here, changes in the biochemical composition and nutritional properties of the commercially valuable oysters, Magallana gigas and Ostrea edulis, were evaluated following a 12-week exposure to six ocean acidification and warming scenarios that were designed to reflect the temperature (+3 °C above ambient) and atmospheric pCO₂ conditions (increase of 350-600 ppm) predicted for the mid-to end-of-century. Results suggest that O. edulis, and especially M. gigas, are likely to become less nutritious (i.e. containing lower levels of protein, lipid, and carbohydrate), and have reduced caloric content under ocean acidification and warming. Important changes to essential mineral composition under ocean acidification and warming were evident in both species; enhanced accumulation of copper in M. gigas may be of concern regarding consumption safety. In light of these findings, the aquaculture industry may wish to consider a shift in focus toward species that are most robust to climate change and less prone to deterioration in quality, in order to secure future food provision and socio-economic benefits of aquaculture.

Nutritional composition and total collagen content of two commercially important edible bivalve molluscs from the Sea of Japan coast

The study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and nutraceutical potential of two commercially significant edible bivalve mollusc species (Anadara broughtonii and Mactra chinensis). The edible parts (motor muscle, mantle and adductor) of these molluscs were analyzed for their proximate composition, collagen content, amino acid profile, chemical score and elemental constituents. Both molluscs had low fat content (2.43–6.91 g/100 g dry weight), and protein (55.36–68.01 g/100 g dry weight) and carbohydrates (11.36–20.37 g/100 g dry weight) were their main components. Total collagen content of the edible bivalve molluscs varied from 30.5 to 39 mg/g wet weight, accounting for approximately half of their total protein content. Among amino acids, glycine, glutamate, aspartic acid, alanine, leucine, lysine and arginine were present at high levels in the edible parts of both bivalve molluscs, while the major elements present were sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc and nickel. Having high-quality protein content, edible bivalve molluscs could be excellent sources of nutritive ingredients and, after further study, may find applications in nutricosmetics and functional foods.

Comparative proteomic analysis of two clam species: Chamelea gallina and Tapes philippinarum

Clams have long been a fisheries and aquaculture sector of great importance in Italy, the main resource of fisheries is the Chamelea gallina of indigenous origin, whereas clams breeding is supported almost entirely by the Tapes philippinarum, a species of Indo-Pacific origin. Bivalve molluscs quality depends mainly on the water quality, and then by a series of factors such as water temperature and salinity, gametogenic cycle, food availability, and environmental conditions, that affect the Condition Index. In this work crude extracts obtained from the edible part of Chamelea gallina and Tapes philippinarum were analyzed by a proteomic approach based on a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, in order to detect biomarkers useful for identification of the two kinds of clams and to assess their nutritional characteristics. As a result, four differentially expressed spots were found and identified, namely enolase, cyclophilin-A, ribosomal protein L13 and actin-1.

Characterization of glycerophospholipid molecular species in six species of edible clams by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry

The molecular species of glycerophosphocholine (GPCho), glycerophosphoethanolamine (GPEtn), glycerophosphoserine (GPSer), lysoglycerophosphocholine (LGPCho) and lysoglycerophosphoethanolamine (LGPEtn) from six species of edible clams were characterized by using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. At least 435, 453, 468, 443, 427 and 444 glycerophospholipid (GP) molecular species were characterized, respectively, from Cyclina sinensis, Mactra chinensis Philippi, Mactra veneriformis Reeve, Meretrix meretrix, Ruditapes philippinarum and Saxidomus purpurata. Most of the predominant GP molecular species in clam contained polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), indicating that clam is a potential resource of GP enriched PUFA. According to the amount of the major molecular species containing EPA and DHA, Cyclina sinensis was the best fit species for GPCho, Mactra veneriformis Reeve was the best fit species for GPEtn, Mactra chinensis Philippi was the best fit species for GPSer and LGPEtn, and Saxidomus purpurata was the best fit species for LGPCho.

Statistical analysis of heavy metals in Cerastoderma edule glaucum and Venerupis aurea laeta from Ganzirri Lake, Messina (Italy)

Our study was carried out on two species of clams, Venerupis aurea laeta and Cerastoderma edule glaucum, from Ganzirri Lake considered as "environmental biomarkers" for their changes in physiology, morphology or distribution under the influence of substances in the environment. The aim of the present study was to conduct a statistical analysis on Venerupis and Cerastoderma to investigate the difference between the two autochthonous clams according to the presence of metals, and to link metal concentrations to the reproductive cycle of clam during 2009-2010. Metal analysis was carried out with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Accuracy and precision were assessed by analyzing the certified standard matrix: mussel tissue NIST SRM 2976. The multivariate analysis was made using the SPSS 13.0 software package for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). In this study, the concentrations of some metals found in clam tissues showed seasonal cycles with higher values in summer than in winter. The significances of metal concentrations differences between Venerupis and Cerastoderma samples were estimated with Mann-Whitney U-test. The concentrations of Ag, As, Cd, Mn, Se and Zn show a significant p-level that suggests a difference between the two group samples. Statistical analysis showed that the link of metal concentrations to the reproductive cycles of Venerupis and Cerastoderma was not evident.

Proximate and elemental composition of Chamelea gallina from the southern coast of the Marmara Sea (Turkey)

The venerid clam Chamelea gallina is a popular and economic foodstuff around the Mediterranean countries especially in Italy, Spain, and France. The aim of this study is to evaluate the nutritional quality of striped venus of Southern Marmara. Samples were harvested seasonally at five stations and analyzed to determine meat yield, proximate, and elemental composition. According to the results, meat yield ranged from 20.24% to 29.94%. Means of water, protein, lipid, and ash content were 67%, 10.12%, 2.57%, and 1.66%, respectively. The mean concentrations (mg/kg wet weight) of elements in tissues are as follows: B: 2.37-4.24; Cr: 0-0.76; Co: 0-0.43; Cu: 0.71-5.30; Mn: 0.30-5.94; Zn: 13.08-77.76; Ni: 0-1.22; Fe: 2.46-114.22; Al: 1.23-75.49; Pb: 0.18-3.24; Ba: 0.66-15.97; Cd: 0.04-0.69. Among the reported metal levels, only Pb and Zn in two stations exceeded the maximum critical concentrations enforced by Turkish legislation and European Commission. Therefore, we report that striped venus from Southern Marmara Sea, in general, are safe for human consumption; nonetheless, Pb and Zn levels should be closely monitored in the future.