Technology: Oral Presentations ic and Commercial Level Processi L ng on Proxii i i _ Commercially Important Sea Gucieies Specie ots Pr ea. than!, PA.D.A. Kumara?, M.p,5 T. di »MD.S.T. de Croos3 ahan Prasada | Dissent 0s", D.V. Pahan Prasada’, 'Deparimen of Zoology, University of sad Aguaculture Division. National A ic etenlenepura,Cangodovit, Nagegoda, Si Lanka Matic Resources Research ap "and Devlepment Aten (NARA), Co land, Colombo 15, Sri Lanks res and Ni Sri Lanka $Depart Deparinent of Agrlenttare Economies, Univers of Peradeno, Peradeniya, ure and Fisheries, Faculty of Livestock, Fisher q1 | NvOnbn Uivern‘of Se Last, sani Gonos Gh Sr Lanka nd for dried sea cucumbers (Blche-de-mer) mainly which is governed by size, shape, colour, odour and ‘cucumbers are processed into Biche-de-mer by boti ssors using similar Processing steps. This study compares the proximate of six commercially important sea cucumber Species (Bohadschia marmorata, woronotus, Holothuria Spinifera, Thelenota anax, Holothuria scabra, Bohadschia tified) processed by domestic and commercial depends on species and moisture content, In th domestic and commercial from October 2015 to May 2016 and analy: rude protein and carbohydrate percentages, Teported higher moisture Percentages than the commercially processed species. age in commercially processed species varied from 16.64 to 32.95%, while in sed species it ranged from 21.25 to 55.61%. Significantly higher moisture teported in domestically processed H. scabra ($5.62 + 7.28%) and T. anax ) than the commercially processed individuals of these species (P <0.05). The n domestically processed B. marmorata, S. chloronotus, H. spinifera and T. anax ntly higher than those in commercially processed species (P <0.05). Fat contents ‘n all these species and values ranged from 1.2-2.0% in commercially processed 9 to 3.3% in domestically processed species. Among these species, 5. ported the highest fat content and domestically processed S. chloronotus ) had significantly higher fat content than the commercially processed individuals 2, P <0.05). Protein contents in commercially processed Species were higher than Stically processed species. Significantly high protein contents were Teported in Processed H. scabra, H. spinifera and T. anax (P <0.05), and among them, H. 1 + 0.46%) reported the highest protein level. Significantly higher carbohydrate tecorded in domestically processed H. scabra (13.20 + 1.74%) and schia spp. than in commercially processed individuals (4.43 + 3.22%, P <0.05). mean carbohydrate contents of commercially processed B. marmorata, S. zed for moisture and dry weight basis Domestically processed sea cucumber Moisture is the key factor that determines the market demand of Béche-de-mer, ‘in domestic level processing must be considered. iche-de-mer, Sea cucumbers, Processing practices, Proximate __ composition oh ao ee Financial support given by National Research Couneil Grant 15-50 is wledged, Uva Wellassa University, of the International Research Symposium. "Vs Badulla 90000, Sri Lanka, January 19-20 153