A first glance into the nutritional properties of the sea cucumber <i>Parastichopus regalis</i> from the Mediterranean Sea (SE Spain)

This work reports for the first time the nutritional profile, including proximate chemical composition, amino acids, fatty acids and minerals of <i>Parastichopus regalis</i> from the Mediterranean Sea (SE Spain). The studied species had a high moisture content, moderate protein and low lipid levels. The most abundant amino acids were glutamic acid, arginine and tyrosine. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially arachidonic acid, dominated the fatty acid profile. Iron, sodium, calcium and zinc were the most abundant mine rals. In general, <i>P. regalis</i> has a balanced nutritional quality suitable for human consumption.