Effects of Different Cooking Methods on the Quality of Golden Pomfret Fillets

To investigate the differences in the quality characteristics of golden pomfret (Trachinotus ovatus) fillets under various cooking methods, a comparative study was conducted to analyze the impacts of three commonly used cooking methods, namely steaming, boiling, and roasting, on the thermal processing loss rate, color difference, pH, basic nutritional composition, texture properties, fatty acid profile, free amino acid content, and volatile flavor components of golden pomfret fillets. The results showed that an upward trend in the thermal processing loss rate of golden pomfret fillets was observed with increasing heating time in all three cooking methods. Compared to raw fish, the color of boiled and steamed fillets became brighter and whiter, and the most browned fillets were roasted for 8 min. There was a significant increase in the pH of all fish fillets after cooking (P<0.05). The boiled fish fillets had the highest moisture content, whereas the roasted fish fillets had the lowest moisture content, the highest ash and crude protein content, and the lowest crude fat content of 4.93 g/100 g for fillets steamed for 8 min. Compared with steaming and boiling, the greatest hardness (297.50 g) and chewiness (136.18 mJ) were observed in roasted fish fillets, along with a richer texture. The highest saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) contents were found in steamed fish at 33.83% and 37.80%, respectively, while the dietary fatty acid ratio of roasted fish fillets was determined to be 1.08:1.21:1.04, which was more consistent with the FAO/WHO recommended health requirements. A decrease in the total content of free amino acids in golden pomfret meat was observed after heating, while the highest total amino acid content (203.78 mg/100 g) was recorded in roasted fish fillets, indicating that free amino acid content was better preserved by roasting treatment. In fresh, steamed, boiled, and roasted fish samples, 35, 36, 40, and 32 volatile compounds were respectively identified, demonstrating that more volatile flavor compounds could be produced through heating treatments, which contributed to new flavor development in golden pomfret fillets to a certain extent. A reference for the food processing industry of golden pomfret can be provided by this study.