Long-Term Saline Water Adaptation Alters the Meat Quality of Micropterus salmoides from a New Salt-Tolerant Population

Meat quality critically influences product value and consumer preferences. Here, the effect of long-term saline adaptation on flesh nutritional quality, sensory value, texture, and flavor was evaluated in a new <i>Micropterus salmoides</i> salt-tolerant population. The results showed that the salt-tolerant population exhibited decreased lipid, saturated fatty acid, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid contents but increased monounsaturated fatty acid content, accompanied by upregulated elongase 5 and fatty acid desaturase 6 mRNA levels. The meat color of the new population was brighter and fresher, with a slightly less red tint, and the increased 2,3-butanedione content resulted in a desirable creamy aroma. 3-Pentanone was the most abundant volatile substance in both populations. Regarding taste parameters, the salt-tolerant population had improved hardness, stickiness, chewiness, resilience, cooking loss, myocyte space, and collagen content. Alanine, proline, and histidine were the main amino acids responsible for flavor presentation. The salt-tolerant population was found to have lower bitter and higher sweet amino acid contents. Higher umami nucleotides and lower pH intensified umami and sourness in salt-tolerant meat. The saltiness of the new-population meat was enhanced. This study comprehensively evaluated the flesh quality of a salt-tolerant <i>M. salmoides</i> population with the potential for cultivation, thereby providing a reference for its potential development as an alternative aquaculture strain.