Evaluation of metabolic changes induced by polyphenols in the crayfish Astacus leptodactylus by metabolomics using Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy

In the present study, the effects of polyphenols on the chemical composition of the hepatopancreas of the Astacus leptodactylus, a highly sought farmed crayfish, have been investigated by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The hepatopancreas spectrum was quite complex and contained several peaks arising from the contribution of different functional groups belonging to protein, lipids and carbohydrates. The PCA statistical analysis revealed that there were significant differences between crayfish fed a diet without polyphenols and crayfish fed a diet containing polyphenols. Such differences indicated an increase in lipids and proteins in the hepatopancreas of polyphenol-fed crayfish. In conclusion, the analysis of the infrared spectral profile of the hepatopancreas of Astacus leptodactylus, allowed us to elucidate the changes in different biomolecules in response to polyphenol treatment, and confirms the suitability of ATR-FTIR spectral data to analyze diet-induced metabolic effects. These considerations, coupled with the small amount of sample and no preparation needed, make ATR-FTIR a useful tool for routine analyses where the metabolic impact of substances is investigated, especially with a large number of samples.