A novel gluten-free fish cake: Physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of rainbow trout-based formulation with celery powder

Abstract

This study aimed to develop and characterise a novel gluten-free fish cake formulated from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillet using dried celery powder (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) as a natural binding and functional ingredient. Fish cakes prepared with four formulations were stored under refrigerated conditions at 4 ±1°C for 21 days and subjected to physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses. The inclusion of celery-enriched formulations showed textural integrity (cooking loss reduced from 19.19% in the control to 12.83% in the 15% group) and moisture retention (moisture decreased from 63.74% to 57.23%). It also maintained oxidative stability (TBARS ≤ 6.81 µmol MA/kg in celery groups vs 7.84 µmol MA/kg in control) and microbial quality (TMAB ≤ 6.54 log CFU/g in celery groups vs 7.35 log CFU/g in control) throughout storage. Sensory evaluation revealed favourable scores for taste, texture, and overall acceptability; notably, the 10% celery powder group (K1) was most preferred overall due to balanced flavour and texture, whereas the 15% group (K2) was less favoured, likely because of stronger herbal flavour and darker colour. The results indicated that the formulated gluten-free fish cakes, particularly powder, exhibited enhanced textural integrity and moisture retention compared to the wheat-based control.

Keywords

• Rainbow trout
• Gluten-free product
• Celery powder
• Functional food
• Fish cake

Ethical Statement

The authors declare that this study includes no experiments with human or animal subjects. Ethics committee approval is not required for this study.

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