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Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Analysis of Fatty Acid Content and Composition in Microalgae
Published on: October 1, 2013
Dietary microalgae modulate milk quality and volatile flavor profiles in dairy cows
Han Zhang1, Yingqun Nian2, Jinchi Yu1
1Innovation Center for Ruminant Nutrition and Cleaner Production, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
None:
Schizochytrium sp. powder (SP) is widely used to enrich docosahexaenoic acid in bovine milk; however, its effects on milk quality, volatile flavor profiles, and underlying regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using an integrated multi-omics approach, this study investigated how uncoated SP (USP) and coated SP (CSP) supplementation differentially influence milk antioxidant capacity, lipid composition, and volatile flavor compounds. CSP improved milk antioxidant capacity and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids levels, reduced saltiness, umami, and richness perception, and induced extensive lipidome remodeling mainly involving triacylglycerols, glycosphingolipids, and betaine lipids, whereas USP caused relatively minor lipidomic changes. Regarding volatile profiles, both treatments elevated 2,3-butanedione and 2,3-pentanedione; CSP further enriched nonanal, 2-undecanone, and 2-octanone (fatty/fruity notes), while USP increased aromatic volatiles alongside the fishy-odor marker 1-octen-3-ol. Correlation analysis identified C4:0, PI(16:0_18:3;O), and TG(18:0_18:0_22:3) as potential lipid precursors of volatile flavor formation.
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