Title : Variations in nutritional and bioactive properties of north atlantic sea cucumber (cucumaria frondosa): role of seasonality, location, and processing
Abstract:
Sea cucumbers are valued as traditional and luxury seafood, known for their rich nutritional and bioactive profiles. However, the effects of seasonality, geographical location, and processing methods on these qualities remain underexplored. For this, the nutritional and bioactive profiles of Cucumaria frondosa across different seasons, geographical zones (Eastern and Western St. Pierre Bank, NL, Canada), and processing methods (hot air drying and boiling) were determined. The findings revealed that the hot air drying and boiling significantly enhanced protein, lipid, carotenoid, and phenolic contents compared to fresh samples, with notable variations observed among body parts (body wall, aquapharyngeal bulb, internal organs). Among the treatments, hot air drying depicted higher ash and phenolic content, while boiling combined with hot air drying resulted in higher protein content. In the case of lipid and carotenoids, both treatments represented better results than the non-treated fresh samples. Seasonal differences were minimal, but samples collected in August showed higher nutritional values. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing processing techniques and harvesting strategies, enabling the development of high-quality, nutrient-rich sea cucumber products for functional food and nutraceutical applications.
