This study evaluated the impact of varying quercetin (Q; 0.01–0.05%) incorporations on the quality, functional, structural, and bio-functional properties of CHOS-enriched (0.75%; w/w) pangasius surimi gel. Gel samples were analyzed for gel strength, texture profile, colour, water-holding capacity (WHC), protein interactions, structural changes, thermal stability, antioxidant/antimicrobial activities, and sensory parameters. Results indicated that Q significantly decreased pH while exerting a minor effect on proximate composition. Incorporation of Q up to 0.04% (Q4) remarkably improved breaking force (654.70 g), deformation (1.13 cm), gel strength (707.82 g cm), hardness, and WHC (90.66%), while reducing expressible moisture content and proteolysis. Molecular interactions, FT-IR spectra, SDS-PAGE, and SEM confirmed that Q promoted cross-linking of myosin heavy chains via hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, creating a denser, more compact gel matrix with higher thermal stability. Additionally, Q addition significantly enhanced 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS)/2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in a concentration-dependent manner, though lightness and whiteness indices decreased due to Q’s natural yellow pigment.

This study aimed to develop an edible egg white protein coating to reduce fat uptake and mitigate protein oxidation in deep-fried Labeo rohita fillets. Fillets (4 × 4 × 2 cm) were coated with 2.5–25% egg white protein and analyzed for proximate composition, frying yield, coating pickup, protein solubility, water-holding capacity, carbonyls, sulfhydryl groups, texture, colour, and sensory attributes. Increasing coating concentration improved coating pickup (2.65–8.36%), frying yield (70.45–80.26%), and reduced fat uptake (9.67–48.66%), while offering partial oxidative protection. Sensory evaluation identified 15% egg white protein coating as most acceptable, and it also effectively lowered fat absorption while preserving protein quality, yielding a healthier fried fish product.

Fish scales are collagen-rich processing by-products with considerable potential as a sustainable source of non-mammalian gelatin. This study aimed to extract gelatin from Rohu (Labeo rohita) fish scales and comprehensively characterize its physicochemical, thermal, structural, rheological, textural and functional properties for potential food and industrial applications. Gelatin was extracted by acid demineralization followed by hot-water extraction and characterized using physicochemical analyses, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE), texture profile analysis (TPA) and functional property measurements. The extracted gelatin exhibited a yield of 21.86%, a protein content of 88.37%, an ash content of 1.5%, a gel strength of 182.82 g, a viscosity of 6.56 cP, a solubility of 87.49%, a melting temperature of 23.38 °C, a setting temperature of 20.4 °C and a setting time of 660 s. FTIR and SDS–PAGE confirmed the characteristic structural features of type I collagen-derived gelatin with well-preserved α₁, α₂ and β chains. The gelatin also demonstrated favorable water-holding capacity (169.70%), fat-binding capacity (188.50%), foaming capacity (193.33%) and foaming stability (77.65%), while emulsion capacity and stability increased with gelatin concentration, reaching 44.11% and 42.15%, respectively, at a gelatin concentration of 2.0%. These findings demonstrate the potential of Rohu fish scale gelatin as a sustainable, value-added non-mammalian biomaterial for food, packaging, pharmaceutical and related industrial applications while promoting the valorization of fish-processing waste.