Given the health concerns linked to meat‐based ready‐to‐cook products, fish emerges as a promising alternative with additional health benefits. In light of this context, this research explores the feasibility of producing a convenient product—fish finger—from bighead carp ( Hypophthalmichthys nobilis ) and evaluates its quality during storage at refrigerated (4 ± 1°C) and frozen (−18 ± 2°C) conditions for 16 and 180 days, respectively. Throughout the storage periods, various aspects including nutritional composition, biochemical makeup, microbiological profile, sensory attributes, and cooking properties of the product were examined. Changes in biochemical parameters like pH, total volatile base nitrogen, free fatty acid (FFA), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were observed in correlation ( p < 0.01) with microbial counts, with faster deterioration observed at refrigerated temperatures compared to frozen storage. Significant alterations ( p < 0.05) in the nutritional composition, such as decreased moisture and increased fat content, were noted during both storage types, while protein and ash contents remained consistent. Cooking experiments indicated a notable decrease ( p < 0.05) in the cooking yield of the fish finger during storage, while moisture and fat retention remained relatively stable. Sensory evaluations highlighted a gradual decline in product quality, particularly evident in refrigerated bighead carp finger, which remained acceptable for up to 12 days, while the frozen variant maintained its quality for up to 180 days.
Mizan et al. (Thu,) studied this question.