Golden　pompano　(Trachinotus　blochii)　fillets　were　dehydrated　by　four　drying　methods　including　vacuum　freeze　(VFD),　vacuum　microwave　(VMD),　hot　air　(HAD),　and　microwave　(MD)　drying　in　this　study.　The　quality,　water　distribution　and　states,　protein　degradation　of　dried　fillets　were　determined.　VFD　fillets　had　looser　microstructure　and　higher　contents　of　protein　(62.72　g/100g)　than　VMD,　HAD　and　MD,　while　the　VMD　fillets　had　the　highest　lipid　content　(15.13%).　The　transverse　relaxation　time　of　immobilized　water　significantly　decreased　during　the　drying　process,　and　the　water　content　was　uniform　during　VFD　and　VMD　compared　with　MD　and　HAD　processes.　In　addition,　regarding　protein　degradation,　VFD　maintained　a　higher　ratio　of　α-helical　structure　and　higher　protein　denaturation　temperature　compared　to　the　heating　process　(VMD,　HAD　and　MD).　Thus,　VFD　was　considered　as　the　appropriate　non-thermal　drying　method　of　golden　pompano　fillets　with　the　advantages　of　high　product　quality　and　protein　stability.　And　in　the　thermal　drying　processing,　the　VMD　fillets　had　better　quality　and　higher　efficiency.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd