Nutritional and Economic Potential of Needle Cuttlefish (Sepia aculeata): Unlocking an Underutilized Seafood Resource in Bangladesh
Needle cuttlefish ( Sepia aculeata ), an abundant yet underutilized cephalopod species in Bangladesh, remains a non-conventional seafood resource with limited nutritional information. This study evaluated the proximate composition, amino acid profile, fatty acid composition, micronutrients, and heavy metals of both edible and non-edible portions of S. aculeata , while recommended nutrient intake (RNI) contribution and economic efficiency were assessed using edible portions only. A total of 172 samples were collected from Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Edible portions accounted for 47.60% of total body weight, while non-edible portions constituted 52.40%. Edible portions contained appreciable protein (11.69–11.76%) and lipid (1.79–1.81%) levels, with total amino acids ranging from 12.36 to 12.92 g/100 g and favorable EAA/NEAA ratios (0.88–1.03). The fatty acid profile was dominated by polyunsaturated fatty acids (46.1–48.6% of total fatty acids), particularly EPA (10.4–11.1%) and DHA (20.4–21.6%), with desirable PUFA/SFA (1.20–1.34) and n-3/n-6 (2.37–3.09) ratios. Heavy metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cr, and Pb) in edible portions were below maximum permissible limits. Non-edible portions contained significantly higher concentrations of calcium, iron, zinc, and selenium than edible portions, indicating potential for value-added utilization. A 100 g serving could provide 70.70–70.89% of the daily n-3 LC-PUFA requirement for children aged 6–23 months. Affordability analysis showed that needle cuttlefish supplied protein at 5.0- to 23.5-fold lower cost and n-3 LC-PUFA at approximately 57.8- to 228.8-fold lower cost than the other seafood species assessed (prawn, shrimp, lobster, and mud crab); for zinc, cuttlefish was cheaper than prawn, shrimp, and lobster (up to 1.32-fold), though mud crab had a marginally lower cost. These findings indicate that S. aculeata is a rich source of n-3 LC-PUFAs, as well as a safe and cost-effective seafood resource with potential to improve food and nutrition security in Bangladesh.