Which type of sea squirt benefit might be negated by cooking methods like boiling or frying?

Microbial benefit associated with live, active bacteria

There is a crucial divergence between the benefits derived from the sea squirt's own tissues (nutritional benefits) and those derived from the specific bacteria it hosts (microbial benefits). Nutritional components, such as macronutrients and minerals, typically survive standard cooking processes like boiling or frying, meaning their associated health effects persist. However, if the purported immune benefits discussed are intrinsically tied to the presence of live, active bacteria that the tunicate harbors, then high-heat thermal processing that kills these microbes will inevitably negate that particular advantage. Therefore, accessing the microbiome-related benefits might theoretically require preparation methods that keep the bacteria viable, such as consuming them raw.