Sea cucumber also known as trepang in Malay, tripang or teripang in Indonesian. The dried product is known as Beche-de-mer in French. This product has been in demand in China since ancient times. It is considered delicacy and becomes tradition for festive occasions in most south Asian countries and in countries where ethnic chinese communities exist. Beche-de-mer is consumed in a re-hydrated form exclusively by the Chinese. It is reputed to have favorable medical and strengthening properties. In Japan the intestine, gonad, and longitudinal muscle of sea cucumber are also processed into high-priced delicacy products.
Sea cucumber belongs to the class Holothuroid in the Phylum Echinodermata. It is a worm like animal, free moving, bottom dweller, and soft body wall.
