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| Processing Optimization of Pu-erh Tea-Flavored Fish Chunks Based on Quality Changes |
| LU Lai, ZHOU Yuhang, BI Baoliang, LU Sufang, AI Mingyan, TIAN Mingwei, LEI Yuelei, JIA Dan |
| 1. Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China; 2. Institute of Fisheries, Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430207, China |
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Abstract This study aimed to investigate the impact of key processing steps on the quality of Pu-erh tea-flavored fish chunks. Grass carps (Ctenopharyngodon idella) were used to make Pu-erh tea-flavored fish chunks. The effects of two types of Pu-erh tea (raw and ripe) on the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content, cooking loss rate, centrifugal loss rate, pH, and textural properties of tea-flavored fish chunks were compared. The results showed that tea-flavored fish chunks prepared with raw Pu-erh tea had significantly lower TVB-N content, cooking loss rate, and centrifugal loss rate but significantly higher hardness and gumminess than those prepared with ripe Pu-erh tea (P < 0.05), therefore, we used raw Pu-erh tea to make the tea-flavored fish chunks in the following steps. Furthermore, we examined the quality changes of fish chunks flavored with raw Pu-erh tea during processing. The results indicated that the TVB-N content of tea-flavored fish chunks increased with decreasing degree of drying in the first air-drying cycle, and the centrifugal loss rate and cooking loss rate were significantly lower at a 60% drying degree than at other drying degrees (P < 0.05). The hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and resilience reached their highest values at a 70% drying degree, whereas the elasticity showed a decreasing trend with decreasing degree of air drying. With prolonged ultrasound time, the TVB-N content gradually decreased, while the centrifugal loss rate first increased and then decreased, with optimal textural properties observed at 5 min. As the soaking time prolonged, the TVB-N content of tea-flavored fish chunks first decreased and then increased, with values significantly lower at 1 and 1.5 h than at other time points (P < 0.05). The cooking loss rate gradually increased, and the centrifugal loss rate peaked at 1.5 h of soaking, while the textural properties progressively declined. For the second air-drying cycle, as the degree of drying decreased, the TVB-N content increased significantly, while the cooking loss rate decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The hardness, gumminess, and chewiness increased, whereas the elasticity and resilience decreased. The pH remained within the range of 6.2–6.4. Using response surface methodology, the optimal processing parameters were determined as follows: a 62% drying degree in the air-drying cycle, an ultrasound time of 6 min, a soaking time of 1.5 h, and a 70% drying degree in the second air-drying cycle. The resulting product showed good quality.
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2026, Vol. 40 
