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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #334688
Research Project: Postharvest Sensory, Processing and Packaging of Catfish

Location: Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research

Title: Effect of precooking and polyphosphate treatment on the quality of microwave cooked catfish fillets

Author
item Li, Carissa
item Bland, John
item Bechtel, Peter

Submitted to: Food Science and Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/16/2017
Publication Date: 2/22/2017
Citation: Li, C.H., Bland, J.M., Bechtel, P.J. 2017. Effect of precooking and polyphosphate treatment on the quality of microwave cooked catfish fillets. Journal of Food Science and Nutrition. doi:10.1002/fsn3.465.

Interpretive Summary: In the US market place there are many examples of precooked poultry products designed to be reheated in a microwave oven and, to a lesser extent, fish products such as tilapia. However, few US catfish products are designed to be microwave cooked or reheated. The present work studied the effect of precooking on the quality of microwave cooked catfish fillets by carefully comparing the properties of raw frozen and oven precooked frozen fillets after microwave cooking. Meanwhile, changes in properties as a consequence of treatment with a commercial polyphosphate blend were also evaluated. This work will provide practical information to the catfish industry in the preparation of future frozen catfish products that are convenient to use and designed to be cooked or reheated in a microwave oven.

Technical Abstract: In the US market place there are many examples of precooked poultry products designed to be reheated in a microwave oven and, to a lesser extent, fish products such as tilapia. However, few US catfish products are designed to be microwave cooked or reheated. The first objective of this study was to examine the properties of raw frozen catfish fillets microwave cooked and oven precooked frozen fillets reheated by microwave cooking. The second objective was to evaluate changes in properties as a consequence of treatment with a commercial polyphosphate blend (IQF). The sample analysis included weight loss, proximate content, color (L*a*b*) using a Minolta colorimeter, pH, mechanical texture (hardness), and measurements of TBA reactive substances. Frozen fillets which contained polyphosphate showed less than 3% moisture loss after microwave cooking, relative to a 9.4% moisture loss for fillets without polyphosphate. A large cooking loss of ~40% was observed for precooked fillets after microwave cooking, correlated to a higher percent moisture loss (8.5% and 9.6% for fillets with and without polyphosphate, respectively) to comparable samples that were not precooked. For both types of fillets, an increased amount of yellow color was observed for precooked fillets after microwave cooking, relative to comparable fillets that were not precooked. Fillet hardness determined by peak force revealed an overall harder texture (~1.1-1.8 times) for fillets without polyphosphate than fillets with polyphosphate. This study will be used to develop precooked catfish products that can be reheated in a microwave oven.