Abstract:Mackerel is a low-cost and economically valuable fish that is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and heme. During processing and storage，it is prone to lipid oxidation，resulting in deterioration of the color，texture，and flavor of the fish meat. To address the issues of rapid deterioration during refrigeration and unstable pre-pre pared quality of mackerel，this study compared the effects of three thermal processing methods，namely roasting，low-temperature slow cooking，and frying，on the yield，texture，sensory properties，and quality changes of mackerel during refrigeration. The results showed that low-temperature slow cooking significantly increased the yield of mackerel；the hardness of fried mackerel was higher than that of the other two methods. There were certain differences in the sensory scores of mackerel produced by the three thermal processing methods，and each method demonstrated its corresponding advantages，which could meet different sensory preferences and consumption demands. During refrigeration，the L*values （brightness values） and moisture contents of the three methods showed an upward trend；the pH values of roasted and low-temperature slow-cooked mackerel showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing. The hardness of low-temperature slow-cooked mackerel followed the same trend as its pH values，while the hardness of roasted mackerel showed an opposite trend to its pH values. The hardness and pH values of fried mackerel both decreased during refrigeration.