Quality Improvement of Hybrid Catfish Flesh: Physicochemical and Sensory Responses to Functional Additive-Enriched Plant-Based Diets

Abstract

This research investigated the effects of high-protein plant-based diets supplemented with functional additives on the physicochemical and sensory qualities of hybrid Asian-African catfish (Clarias macrocephalus × Clarias gariepinus). Dried Papaya Leaves (DPL) with 2% incorporation were added to a commercial diet, and two methods of incorporation were applied: coating on the outer part (2% DPL-coated) and incorporation well into the feed (2% DPL-incorporated). A commercial diet without DPL served as the control. Catfish were reared under controlled conditions and fed experimental diets (4 weeks). The similar values obtained for moisture, protein, and ash contents indicated that the addition of DPL in the commercial diet, regardless of the method of incorporation, did not affect these properties. The lowest values of chewiness, cohesiveness, hardness, and springiness were reported for fish flesh with 2% DPL-incorporated treatments compared to 2% DPL-coated and control treatments, with no significant difference. This sample also revealed significant differences in L*, b*, and ΔE* values compared to the other two samples, resulting in a noticeable flesh colour change magnitude. A similar pattern was observed in both the Hedonic Scale and Qualitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA), suggesting that the sensory attributes evaluated may not have influenced the panellists’ scores. In conclusion, the inclusion of 2% DPL as a functional additive in high-protein plant-based diets does not compromise the physicochemical quality or sensory acceptability of hybrid catfish. These findings suggest that DPL has strong potential as a sustainable and natural feed additive for aquaculture applications. Thus, a longer feeding trial (12 weeks) is recommended for future work to better determine the long-term effects of DPL supplementation on the physicochemical and sensory quality of fish flesh.