BIOLOGIYA MORYA, 2015, Vol. 41, No. 6, pp. 381-394

Nutritional value of holothurians

© 2015 Y. S. Khotimchenko

School of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok 690950;
A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok 690041

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In the current decade, holothurians are becoming more popular among researchers due to the recently obtained data about the chemical structure and physiological activity of bioactive ingredients extracted from these marine invertebrates. In South-East Asia, Japan, Korea, and China, the use of these animals as a valuable food product and an object of traditional folk medicine has had a long history. At the same time, in western countries, as well as in Russia, products from sea cucumbers are little known and often considered as an exotic oriental cuisine. This paper provides an analytical review of literature dedicated to the nutritional value of holothurians as a potential source of components for functional food and nutraceuticals.

Key words: echinoderms, holothurians, functional food, biologically active dietary supplements.