Rigor mortis development and effects of filleting conditions on the quality of Tra catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) fillets

South-East Asian countries produce several million tons annually of Tra catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) fillets for export and domestic consumption. However, the processing procedure has not yet been investigated. This study was carried out to analyze the rigor mortis development of the fish and to evaluate the effects of filleting conditions on the quality of the fillets. Compared to pre-rigor fillet processing, post-rigor fillet processing resulted in higher fillet mass yield, less fillet length contraction and reduced exudation loss during chilled storage for both fillets before freezing and fillets after freezing and thawing. The post-rigor fillet processing led to significantly less drip loss after thawing. For fresh fish fillets, pre-rigor processing led to lower cooking loss compared to post-rigor processing. For frozen and thawed fish fillets there was no significant difference in those two parameters. The present research serves as a foundation for further investigations on the modification of processing practices for better fillet quality.