Effect of the Handling Procedures on the Chemical Composition of Sea Cucumber

Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 4: 71-74 (2004)

Effect of the Handling Procedures on the Chemical Composition of Sea
Cucumber
Nil Pembe Özer1,*, Sühendan Mol2, Candan Varl?k2
1 Kocaeli University, College of Engineering, Kocaeli, Turkey
2 Istanbul University, Faculty of Fisheries, Istanbul, Turkey
* Corresponding Author: Tel.: +90. 262 335 01 66; Fax: +90. 262 335 28 12;
Received 18 November 2004
E-mail: pembe2k@yahoo.com
Accepted 30 March 2005
Abstract
This study compared the chemical compositions of sea cucumbers harvested from the Marmara Sea during the spring
and summer in different months. They were processed using two different methods. The first method was evisceration by
cutting the anus, followed by removal of the viscera by firmly squeezing the body. The second method was evisceration by
cutting along the length of the body, followed by removal of the viscera. All of the sea cucumbers were boiled and dried.
Their water, ash, protein, and fat contents were measured and recorded prior to and after processing. The moisture content of
fresh sea cucumber decreased from 85% to 6.5% when it was processed with the first method, while the post-processing
water content with second method came out to be 6%. Fresh sea cucumber (based on dry weight) contained 5.78–9.53%
protein and 0.06–0.37% fat. The approximate percent composition of fat, protein, and ash were determined to be 1.17–2.44%,
39.77–59.57%, and 17.91–44.53% respectively for the first method; and 1.71–2.31%, 40.97–60.18%, and 29.82–40.04% for
respectively for the second method. No significant differences were found for the second method in the water, ash, and fat
content. Protein content was significantly lower for the second method in July. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in
the water, ash, fat, and protein content for the first method.

Key Words: Sea cucumber, chemical composition, boiling, drying.
Introduction
Recently, many researchers have studied the
various pharmacological properties, taxonomy,
The catching of sea cucumbers is one of the
biology, and ecology of these species. There are many
oldest activities of commercial fisheries in the South
different varieties of sea cucumber in the world. The
Pacific in addition to pearl oysters. Sea cucumbers
most common and abundant species of sea cucumber
have been harvested commercially since at least 1000
in Turkey is Holothuria scabra, whose taxonomy,
years ago (Conand and Byrne, 1993; Hamel and
biology, ecology, and chemical composition (e.g.,
Mercier, 1997). Holothurians (sea cucumbers) are
protein, fat, moisture, and mineral content) have not
traditionally consumed raw, dried, and boiled as food
studied sufficiently. Therefore, determination of the
for human consumption in many tropical and sub-
chemical composition of this seafood has become an
tropical countries. Major consuming countries are
important topic of inquiry. The aim of the study was
China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and
to compare the chemical compositions of sea
Japan. The dried product is called beche-de-mer in
cucumber harvested during different months.
French, hai-som in Chinese, and trepang
in
Indonesian. Beche-de-mer is graded according to the
Materials and Methods
species, size, appearance, odour, colour, moisture, and
content of extraneous matter. Buyers prefer a
Material and Sampling Plan
uniformly shaped, extra large graded product
(Subasinghe, 1992). In some Pacific countries such as
Sea cucumbers of the species Holothuria scabra,
Japan and Korea, the body wall and viscera of sea
which is most abundant in Turkey, were used in this
cucumbers are eaten as raw or pickled. In some other
study. The sea cucumbers were harvested in April,
countries, dried sea cucumber is widely used in soaps
May, June, July, and August, and sampling was
or fried with meat or vegetables (Conand and
carried out each time for the month before and the
Byrne,1993; Morgan and Archer, 1999; Subasinghe,
month after processing. Sea cucumbers were collected
1992). In some countries, extracts of certain sea
each month between April and August along the
cucumber species are used as a kind of traditional
sandy sea floor near shore waters of the southern
medicine. The popularity of sea cucumbers for its
Marmara Sea. Most of the harvesting was done in
medicinal properties and as a supplementary food
Edremit, Turkey. Snorkel gear and diving tubes were
source for people in their 40s comes from their low
used in harvesting the sea cucumbers.
fat and high calcium content (Baine and Sze, 2000;
Ferduose, 1997).
©
Central Fisheries Research Institute (CFRI) Trabzon, Turkey and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

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Processing
heating in a hot oven until the samples burned
completely. Fat content was determined using method
Cleaning: The sea cucumbers were transported
948.15 as described in AOAC (1990). A velp
to laboratory in seawater. Each cucumber was
scientifica DK6 heating digester and a velp scientifica
weighed and measured for its size. Prior to being
UDK 140 distillation unit were used to determine
cooked, they were freshly eviscerated and cleaned by
protein content (AOAC, 1990).
lightly brushing their surface to remove sand and
other materials adhering to their surface. The samples
Statistical Analysis
were then washed in clean sea water.
All treatments were replicated three times and
Cutting: Sea cucumbers were prepared in two
results were reported as means. An analysis of
ways. In Method 1, after cleaning their anus (posterior
variance (ANOVA) was performed using the general
end), they were cut into pieces 2–3 cm in length, then
linear models procedure of MINITAB 13.30 (Minitab
the water and viscera inside them were removed by
Inc., State College, PA., USA). The Tukey test was
firmly squeezing their body wall. In Method 2, they
used to compare the average moisture, ash, fat, and
were cut along the centre line of their abdomen to
protein content between pairs of methods and months.
within 3 cm of each end, and then their viscera were
Pairwise comparison among means with a 95%
removed. Following these steps, sea cucumbers
confidence level was used.
prepared in both ways were further processed with the
following steps:
Results and Discussion
First Boiling: Sea cucumbers prepared by both
In this study, sea cucumbers were processed
methods were individually placed in boiling clean
using two methods between April and August. The
seawater one by one, then boiled while also being
fresh and processed sea cucumbers were analyzed and
stirred for about 45 minutes. After this, they were
compared for moisture, ash, fat, and protein contents
removed from the boiling water and immersed in
in various months (Table 1).
fresh seawater at room temperature.
The values obtained were very close to those
reported by Chang-Lee et al. (1989) and Chen (2003),
Second Boiling: All sea cucumbers were boiled
who determined moisture, ash, fat, and protein
a second time for approximately 45 minutes with
content to be 76.94–90.81%, 0.9–3.4%, 0.03–0.3%,
continuous stirring. After this second boiling, they
and 4.7–11.52%, respectively. Although different
were removed quickly from the boiling vessel and
species were used in their studies, results were found
placed into sea water at room temperature as
to be comparable.
recommend by Subasinghe (1992) and SPC (1994).
Analysis of variance using a general linear
model involving two-way interaction terms showed
Drying: Boiled sea cucumbers prepared by
that there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in
Method 1 were dried at 37°C for one day and then at
the content of moisture and ash, with both the first
70°C for two days. A short wooden stick (2,5–4 cm)
and the second method, except in June for moisture
was placed inside each sea cucumber prepared by
content and in May for ash content. No significant
method 2 to keep the slits that had been cut in them
differences were found in the contents of moisture or
open, then the cucumbers were placed on a tray, slit
ash between the first and second months for the
side down, before being dried at 37°C for one day and
second method. The moisture and ash content values
at 70°C for two days.
were significantly (p<0.05) lower for the first method
in June and May, respectively (Table 2).
Chemical Analyses: The sea cucumbers were
The fat and protein content values of processed
homogenized using a blender and analyzed in
sea cucumbers were determined and results were
duplicate to determine their moisture, fat, protein and
compared according to methods and months (Table
ash content. Moisture content was determined by
3). No significant difference (p>0.05) was found in fat
drying the samples in an oven at 105 C until constant
content between the first and second months for the
weight was obtained. Ash content was determined by
second method. The protein content was significantly
Table 1. Approximate chemical composition of fresh sea cucumbers (%)
Months
Moisture
Fat
Protein
Ash
April 87,21
0,37
9,53
8,10
May 85,45
0,22
5,78
11,06
June 84,91
0,19
7,30
7,57
July 85,32
0,17
7,95
4,68
August 84,54
0,23
8,61
3,59

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N. P. Özer et al. / Turk. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 4: 71-74 (2004)
73
Table 2. Moisture and ash contents of processed sea cucumbers (%)
Moisture 1,2
Ash
I 3 II

I II
April a6.82A
a5.82A

ab28.46A a35.52A
May a7.08A
a6.34A

b17.91A a36.95B
June b4.96A
a6.29B

a39.58A a29.82A
July a6.45A
a5.57A

a44.53A a40.04A
August ab6.10A
a5.92A
ab34.68A a39.79A
1 Within the same row (for each parameter), values not followed by the same capital letter are significantly different (p<0.05).
2 Within the same column, values not preceded by the same letter are significantly different (p<0.05).
3 Methods
Table 3. Fat and protein contents of processed sea cucumbers (%)
Fat1,2
Protein
I
3 II

I II
April ab2.06A
a1.85A

a59.57A a60.18A
May ab1.96A
a2.17A

abc57.27A a58.90A
June bc1.44A
a1.93A

bcd44.44A ab48.41A
July c1.17A
a1.71A

d39.77A b40.97A
August a2.44A
a2.31A

cd43.50A ab47.43A
1 Within the same row (for each parameter), values not followed by the same capital letter are significantly different (p<0.05).
2 Within the same column, values not preceded by the same letter are significantly different (p<0.05).
3 Methods
lower for second method in July. There was no
second method was 6%. No significant differences
significant difference (p>0.05) in the protein or fat
occurred in the moisture, ash, and fat content values
content with either preparation method in any month.
with the second method between the first and second
However, there was a significant difference (p<0.05)
months. There was a significant difference (p<0.05)
in the fat and protein content between the first method
in the moisture, ash, fat, and protein content obtained
and months. According to Chang-Lee et al. (1989),
with the first method between the first and second
there was no significant difference in the chemical
months.
analysis of canned sea cucumber made from fresh-
cooked, salted-cooked and cooked & dried material.
Acknowledgements
Chen (2003), dried various species of sea cucumber
and determined their main nutrient profiles. The
This study has been supported financially by the
minimum and maximum moisture content figures for
Research Foundation at University of Kocaeli,
these samples were 8.25% and 21.55%, respectively.
Turkey.
The fat content of dried Acaudina molpadioides was
0.55% and it was 3.70% for dried Thelenota ananas.
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