Food Safety Risks Posed by Heavy Metals and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) related to Consumption of Sea Cucumbers

Abstract

The global production of sea cucumbers was 245 thousand tons in 2020. Sea cucumbers are important food items in Asian and Pacific cuisines, the highest proportion being consumed in China as “bêche-de-mer” dried, gutted, boiled and salted body wall. However, consumption of sea cucumbers is expanding in China and globally, and the high demand has led to decline in populations of sea cucumbers, due to overexploitation. Aquaculture, together with novel fisheries on new species in new regions is easing the demand. Thus, an assessment of food safety is warranted. A literature search on food hazards was performed. A high proportion of the selected papers concerned heavy metals and metalloid hazards, such as mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As). No specific maximum limits (MLs) have been set for contents of these in sea cucumbers. Thus, the contents were compared with maximum limits set for aquatic animals in general or bivalve molluscs if available. With regard to Hg and Cd levels, none of the samples exceeded limits set by the European Commission or the National Standard of China, while for Pb, samples from highly industrialised areas exceeded the limits. Surprisingly, data on contaminants such as POPs, including dioxins and dl-PCB, PAH and PFAS as well as microbial hazards were scarce. The availability of fresh sea cucumber has increased due to aquaculture. To preserve the original flavour some consumers are reported to prefer to eat raw sea cucumber products, sashimi and sushi, which inevitably causes challenges from the microbial food safety perspective. Altogether, this paper highlights specific needs for knowledge, in particular when harvesting new species of sea cucumbers or in industrialized regions. Systematic monitoring activities, appropriate guidelines and regulations are highly warranted to guide the utilization of sea cucumbers.

Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Orange-Footed Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa)—Effect of Different Enzymes on Protein Yield and Bioactivity

“…An important prerequisite before novel resources can be used, is an assessment of food safety [20]. Although the organic compound of arsenic is generally present in seafood, the inorganic compounds of arsenic may be abundant in some organisms.…”

“…Inorganic arsenic is present on the ocean bed and has negative effects on human health [18]. The content of inorganic arsenic in C. frondosa has been reported to vary with some individuals containing high levels [16,19] or levels exceeding regulatory limits of consumption [20]. Thus, the inorganic arsenic concentration should be monitored [16,18].…”

Climate Performance, Environmental Toxins and Nutrient Density of the Underutilized Norwegian Orange-Footed Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa)

“…However, it is important to emphasize that the number of samples in this study is low (n = 4), and the variations are large. Further, food safety issues related to sea cucumber consumption were recently reviewed by Elvevoll et al [85] and only a few studies [17,[86][87][88][89][90][91] have evaluated the content of total As in sea cucumbers, and the data on As speciation is limited [83], highlighting the need for speciation data and management, and monitoring activities of sea cucumbers.…”

Development of a split G-quadruplex and DAPI-based fluorescent probe for Hg(ii) and Pb(ii) ions detection

“…1 The relentless pace of industrialization has exacerbated the severity of food safety issues, particularly those arising from heavy metal contamination. 2 Notably, heavy metals such as Hg( ii ) and Pb( ii ) are prevalent in the environment primarily as ions and are ubiquitously detected in a range of consumables, including marine products, 3 diverse fruits and vegetables 4 and potable water sources. 5 Exposure to these ions can severely harm vital organs such as the kidneys, heart, cardiovascular system, and nervous system, even at low concentrations.…”