Extraction and Characterization of Collagen from Sea Cucumber Flesh

Sea cucumber (Stichopus variegatus) is one of the Echinodermata phylum that growsalong Indonesian coastal. Sea cucumber is potential source of collagen. The purposes of thisresearch were to determine the optimal concentration of NaOH and CH3COOH solutionin collagen production and analyze the physicochemical characteristics of collagen fromS. variegatus. Yield of the collagen was 1.5% (based on wet weight basis), produced bypretreatment with NaOH 0,30%, hydrolysis with CH3COOH 0.10% and extracted usingdistilled water. Protein, moisture, and ash content of the collagen was 67.68%, 13.64%,and 4.15%, respectively. Collagen was extracted using distilled water at 45°C during 2hand still had triple helix structure ; pH 7.37 ; melting temperature 163.67°C and whiteness69.25%. The major amino acid content of collagen were glycine, alanine, proline andglutamic acid.Keywords: NaOH, collagen, Stichopus variegatus, FTIR