Lipid nutritional variances in thermal-treated egg yolks and their influence on flavor formation

The nutrition and flavor of egg yolks can be affected by poultry species. However, chicken, duck, and goose eggs, as the most common poultry egg products, have not been fully explored. This study explored the lipid composition and flavor differences among three egg yolks via multi-omics, unraveling the flavor-formation mechanisms during thermal treatment. 194, 202, and 227 lipids were detected in goose, chicken, and duck yolks, respectively, with nearly 100 differential lipids between each pair. Duck yolks had higher concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids. Chicken yolks had higher concentrations of lysophosphatidylcholines and lower concentrations sterol lipids. Chicken yolks produced more volatile alcohols and pyrazines. Duck and goose yolks produced more aromatic hydrocarbons and alkanes, respectively. Fourteen aroma-active compounds were identified, and some can be formed from phosphatidylethanolamines and ether phosphatidylethanolamines through free radical chain reactions. This study provides theoretical basis for the regulation of flavor and nutrition of egg products.