Abstract: Currently,the research on Ruditapes variegata has focused on breeding,mantle tissues,pesticide residues,etc.There has rarely been reported about comprehensive nutrition analysis and evaluation of Ruditapes variegata.In this paper,general nutrients(moisture,crude ash,crude protein and crude fat),amino acids,fatty acids,mineral elements as well as vitamins in edible part of R.variegata were investigated.The examination results showed that the contents of moisture,crude ash,crude protein and crude fat in fresh edible part of R.variegata were 82.70%,2.63%,9.63% and 0.54%,respectively.The content of crude fat was lower than Cyclina sinensis,Mercenaria mercenaria, Ostrea rivularis,etc.Eighteen common amino acids were found in the edible part of R.variegate.In dry sample,the total content of amino acids(TAA)was 52.86%;the contents of essential amino acids(EAA),half-essential amino acids(HEAA)and nonessential amino acids(NEAA)were 21.58%,6.82% and 24.46%,respectively;the content of delicious amino acids(DAA)was 18.89%.The ratio of total essential amino acids to total amino acids(W_EAA/W_TAA)was 40.82%,and the ratio of total essential amino acids to total nonessential amino acids(W_EAA/W_NEAA) was 88.23%.It was clear that the constitutional rate of the essential amino acids met the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization(FAO/WHO)Standards.According to nutrition evaluation in amino acids score(AAS),the first limited amino acid was Met+Cys and the second limited amino acid was Ile.According to nutrition evaluation in chemical score(CS),the first limited amino acid was Met+Cys and the second limited amino acid was Trp.The essential amino acids index(EAAI)was 73.83,which was much higher than M.mercenaria (67.91).Twenty common fatty acids were found in the edible part of R.variegate,including 7 saturated fatty acids(SFA),6 mono-unsaturated fatty acids(MUFA)and 7 poly unsaturated fatty acids(PUFA).the contents of SFA,MUFA and PUFA were 46.12%,24.14% and 29.74%,respectively.In PUFA,the contents of EPA and DHA were totally 67.82%;the content of ω-3PUFA was rich,which was much higher than ω-6PUFA.The composition of mineral elements in the edible part of R.variegata was reasonable.The trace elements such as Fe and Se were richer than those in Meretrix lusoria and Corbicula fluminea.The contents of V_A and V_B2 in vitamins were richer than Pinctada maxima and P.margaritifera; the content of V_B5 in vitamins was richer than M.mercenaria.In conclusion,this investigation indicated that R.variegata is a nutritive and delicious shellfish,and it could be a potential aquaculture species.