Evaluation of Processing Methods on the Nutritional Quality of Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus Selenka)

The close relationship between the consumption of sea cucumber and health status stems from the nutritional and functional substances found in sea cucumber that play a key role in the prevention of different diseases. The processing methods have a great effect upon the nutritional and functional substances in sea cucumber. A superior product should not only be abundant in nutritional substances, but also require an easy and cost effective processing method. This study compared the influence of processing methods on the stability of macronutrients and micronutrients present in sea cucumber in order to recommend products that could provide high nutritional quality. The five processes investigated were hot air drying (60 degrees C), vacuum freeze-drying (0.5 cm thickness material, 5-10 Pa vacuum degree, -85 to -90 degrees C cold trap temperature, -25 degrees C material temperature), sun drying, double-distilled water cooking followed by sun drying, and 3.5% sodium chloride solution cooking followed by sun drying. A significant decrease of all the chemical compositions determined was shown in all the sea cucumber products treated by the five processing methods (p < 0.05). Among all the processing methods, hot air drying resulted in the highest nutritional quality of the product. Moreover, hot air drying can be operated easily with low cost.