• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.203-208
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• 2009

A factorial feeding trial of different levels of three carbohydrate sources (wheat flour, $\alpha$-potato starch, and sodium alginate) was conducted to determine proper sources and levels of dietary carbohydrate for juvenile sea cucumbers. Three replicate groups of juvenile sea cucumbers (770 mg average weight) were fed the experimental diets once a day for 10 weeks. After feeding trial, survival of sea cucumbers was not significantly different between diets. The body weight of sea cucumbers was significantly (P<0.01) affected by both source and level of dietary carbohydrate, tending to decrease as dietary carbohydrate level increased. Body weight of sea cucumbers fed a 25% wheat flour diet was the highest but was not significantly different from that of sea cucumbers fed diet containing 10% wheat flour with 15% sodium alginate (P>0.05). No significant differences were observed in contents of moisture, crude protein, crude lipid and ash of sea cucumbers among dietary treatments. These results suggest that sea cucumbers utilize wheat flour and sodium alginate more efficiently than they do $\alpha$-potato starch, and that a formulated diet containing 43-60% carbohydrate may be suitable for juvenile sea cucumber culture.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.69-86
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• 2023

The bioactive secondary metabolites produced by sea cucumbers are very diverse with differences in composition, linkages, molecular weight, and various functional properties. Due to their physicochemical properties, these bioactive molecules in sea cucumbers have found applications in various market segments such as functional foods and cosmetics. Sea cucumber side dishes are a prominent food item in traditional cuisine in East Asian countries such as South Korea, China, and Japan. In addition, many studies have reported that the consumption of sea cucumbers can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, the pathogenesis of cancer cells, chronic inflammatory diseases, etc. In particular, many studies have recently reported the potential of sea cucumbers to develop functional products to reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, diabetes, and cancer. Additionally, these bioactive properties associated with sea cucumbers make them ideal compounds for use as functional ingredients in functional food products. However, no report has yet reviewed the properties of sea cucumbers related to functional foods. Therefore, in this review, the primary focus is given to collecting published scientific data (from 2019 to 2023) on the bioactive properties of sea cucumbers relevant to the functional food industry.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.2154-2161
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• 2014

Growth analysis and selection of sea cucumbers (Stichopus japonicas) is typically performed through length or weight measurements. However, because sea cucumbers continuously change shape depending on the external environment, weight measurement has been the preferred approach. Weight measurements require extensive time and labor, moreover it is often difficult to accurately weigh sea cucumbers because of their wet surface. The present study measured sea cucumber features, including the body length, width, and thickness, by using a vision system and regression analysis to generate $R^2$ values that were used to develop a weight estimation algorithm. The $R^2$ value between the actual volume and weight of the sea cucumbers was 0.999, which was relatively high. Evaluation of the performance of this algorithm using cross-validation showed that the root mean square error and worst-case prediction error were 1.434 g and ${\pm}5.879g$, respectively. In addition, the present study confirmed that the proposed weight estimation algorithm and single slide rail device for weight measurement can measure weights at approximately 4,500 sea cucumbers per hour.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.1281-1286
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• 2018

The sea cucumber, which is distributed over 1,500 species worldwide, is a highly value-added variety that has been considered an important source of marine resources in many countries for a long period of time. Most of the research on sea cucumbers involves the effectiveness of food and its extractions; however, there was no research on the extraction of sea cucumbers. In response, this research suggested a boundary detection algorithm to extract the special spot of sea cucumbers Therefore, in order to capture a large quantity of high value-added in sea cucumbers and we believe that they will be a great help to the sea cucumber recognition program in the future.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.232-240
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• 2019

Approximately 80% of the world's sea cucumbers Apostichopus japonicas are processed into dried sea cucumbers. The hot air-drying method is currently used in industry, but it has many problems, such as a short drying time, severe browning, high nutrition loss, and low recovery. In this study, the moisture absorption rate, dry recovery rate, and lipid nutrient composition of sea cucumber dried by heat pump decompression and with a hybrid dryer were investigated. The moisture absorption rates for hybrid-dried sea cucumbers at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h were 241.3%, 427.7%, 652.0%, 721.0%, and 742.2%, respectively. The moisture absorption rates for hot air-dried sea cucumbers were 155.8%, 240.0%, 390.3%, 655.5%, and 667.4%, respectively. Thus, moisture absorption was faster and greater with hybrid drying than with hot air drying. The dry recovery rate at 24 h was greater for hybrid-dried sea cucumber (70.7%) than for hot air-dried sea cucumber (59.8%). Saturated fatty acid contents of the hybrid- and hot air-dried sea cucumbers were 30.0% and 37.5%, respectively. Moreover, greater ${\Sigma}n-3$ polyunsaturated fatty acid content was found in hybrid-dried sea cucumber (15.8%) than in hot air-dried sea cucumber (11.7%).

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.251-263
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• 2022

Sea cucumbers are worm-like, leathery bodied, benthic, marine organisms with a branched gonad. There are over 900 species, and these organisms are capable of changing their mechanical state, regenerating their small appendages, and digestive tract. Additionally, sea cucumbers possess both commercial and therapeutical value. Furthermore, it is thought that the metabolites these organisms possess may give rise to their therapeutical value. The use of sea cucumbers in therapy can be traced back to the Ming dynasty, where they were eaten for their tonic properties against constipation, hypertension, and rheumatism. A plethora of studies have been conducted, whereby different metabolites were extracted from sea cucumbers and tested for different therapeutic properties. Herein, we review and discuss the anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-coagulant, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of the sea cucumber by assessing literature on PubMed and Google Scholar. Furthermore, the genome and epigenome of these remarkable species is discussed. With the immense data supporting the therapeutic properties of sea cucumbers, further studies are warranted, in order to develop novel and innovative therapeutic compounds for the benefit of human health from these fascinating marine organisms.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.168-175
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• 2016

We conducted a 90-day feeding experiment to evaluate the growth and energy budget of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. Sea cucumbers with a mean initial wet body weight of 3.03±0.06 g were fed one of the following three diets: an eel fecal solid diet, rainbow trout fecal solid diet, or a commercial diet at a water temperature of 17±1℃ and salinity of 32±1 psu. The results suggested that the diets affected the final body weight, specific growth rate (SGR), food ingestion, feces production ratio, and hence the growth and energy budget of the sea cucumbers. Sea cucumbers fed the eel and rainbow trout fecal solid diets showed poorer energy absorption, assimilation, and growth than those fed the commercial diet. The sea cucumbers fed the commercial diet had a significantly higher SGR and proportion of energy used for growth than those fed the other two diets. Sea cucumbers fed the rainbow trout fecal solid diet showed a comparatively higher ingestion rate and feces production ratio than those fed the commercial diet. The eel and rainbow trout fecal solid diets, therefore, were not suitable for sea cucumbers in intensive cultivation. Our findings will facilitate further development of more appropriate diets for culture of sea cucumber.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.443-448
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• 2022

Two long-term feeding trials were conducted to compare the effects on survival and growth of juvenile sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus of experimental diets containing corn distillers dried grains with solubles, Squid Sepioteuthis sepioidea liver meal, and brown fish meal with a commercial die. In both first and second trials, two experimental diets and one commercial diet were assessed. After a 45-week feeding period in trial 1, survival did not differ significantly among groups. The final mean weight of sea cucumbers fed either experimental diet was significantly higher than that of sea cucumbers fed the commercial diet. After a 15-week feeding period in trial 2, survival and final mean weight of sea cucumbers fed either experimental practical diets was significantly higher than that of sea cucumbers fed the commercial diet. It was concluded that the experimental diets formulations can be used as a practical diet, and inclusion of corn distillers dried grains with solubles, squid liver meal, and brown fish meal can improve the growth of juvenile sea cucumbers.