Influence of farming conditions on colour and texture of European caffish (Silurus glanis) flesh

The colour of raw fillets and the texture of cooked fillets of European catfish (Silurus glanis) were studied. The catfish fillets resulted from two types of farming conditions used in France. Sensory and instrumental analyses were performed on the fillets. Two farming parameters were found to affect the colour and texture of European catfish fillets: water temperature and farming time. The shorter the farming time was, the lighter the fillets were, while a higher water temperature produced yellower and greener fillets. A higher water temperature and a longer farming time produced softer cooked fillets, while the higher the water temperature was, the less juicy the cooked fillets were. A good correlation and complementarity were observed between sensory and instrumental analyses of the colour and texture of European catfish fillets. (c) 2007 Society of Chemical Industry.