Comparative evaluation of nutritional quality and flavor characteristics for Acrossocheilus fasciatus muscle in different aquaculture systems

Abstract:This study comparatively evaluated the effects of four aquaculture systems pond (PD), rice field (RF), round bucket (RB) and water trough (WT) on the flesh quality, gut microbiota and metabolites of Acrossocheilus fasciatus. Compared with the other three groups, texture analysis revealed that the RF group exhibited significantly higher hardness and chewiness (P < 0.05), the highest content of umami amino acids, relatively high levels of flavor compounds (alcohols and esters), and significantly higher polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content , particularly rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Additionally, metabolomics and gut microbiota analyses showed that compared with the other three groups, the RF group had significantly higher contents of beneficial metabolites and bacterial genera, enhancing flavor and nutritional value by regulating amino acids, fatty acids, and volatile flavor compounds.These findings highlight the potential of RF in improving fish quality and elucidating metabolomic and microbial mechanisms, providing theoretical support for ecological aquaculture.