Integrated bioinformatics and quantitative lipidomics reveal temporal lipid dynamics and oxidative metabolic networks...

Lipid composition affects the metabolic processes underlying pork quality, but the lipid profile and its evolution mechanisms remain elusive. Herein, a quantitative lipidomics methodology was established to identify key lipid molecules and their transformations in Longissimus lumborum during storage. A total of 2148 lipid molecules were identified, with the content of most glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids showing dynamic changes during storage (p < 0.05). Using the Short Time-series Expression Miner, we discerned six significantly enriched profiles among 765 lipid molecules (p < 0.05), revealing a marked increase in the levels of coenzyme Q, ceramide, and acyl carnitine during storage. In addition, 33 discriminative lipid molecules were identified through partial least squares discriminant analysis, highlighting the key role of phospholipid and triglyceride degradation induced by lipase and coenzyme in pork spoilage. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that lipids containing unsaturated fatty acid (FA) branches, including phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, and triglyceride, promote FA oxidation by participating in linoleic acid metabolism. Collectively, this study deciphers temporal lipid dynamics and oxidative metabolic networks in refrigerated pork, providing mechanistic insights for optimizing meat quality evaluation.