Development of ready-to-cook battered and breaded fish products from freshwater species

Abstract:

The Bangladeshi freshwater fish sector produces over 8 million tonnes annually, yet less than 3% enters the convenience food chain as value-added products. This research developed battered and breaded ready-to-cook (RTC) products from three freshwater species — rohu (Labeo rohita), catla (Catla catla), and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) — and evaluated their quality during 35 days of frozen storage at −18 °C. Fish fillets were cut into 50 g portions, dipped in a chickpea-flour-based batter, coated with bread crumbs, pre-fried at 180 °C for 30 s, and blast-frozen at −35 °C before packaging. Proximate composition, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), microbiological load, and sensory attributes were monitored at weekly intervals. All three products remained within acceptable limits for TBA (< 2.0 mg MDA kg⁻¹) and TVB-N (< 20 mg 100 g⁻¹) up to 28 days. Catla-based products scored highest in overall sensory acceptance (7.8 out of 9 at day 21), while tilapia showed the fastest lipid oxidation. The protocol provides a scalable model for converting under-valued freshwater fish into market-ready convenience products.