Lipidomic and volatilomic profiling reveals species-specific compositional changes in duck and goose egg yolks during...

Egg yolk lipids are key determinants of egg nutritional value and flavor quality, yet their stability during refrigerated storage differs across avian species. Here, integrated lipidomic and flavoromic profiling was applied to characterize species- and storage-dependent changes in duck and goose egg yolks. A total of 2931 lipid species and 159 volatile compounds were identified, revealing marked intrinsic differences in lipid composition and aroma profiles between species. Refrigerated storage induced distinct temporal responses. Duck egg yolks exhibited pronounced lipidomic and volatilomic alterations primarily at late storage, characterized by the accumulation of diacylglycerols and triacylglycerols, increased sterols and ceramides, and elevated free fatty acids and lysophospholipids, indicating intensified glycerolipid turnover and membrane phospholipid hydrolysis. In contrast, goose egg yolks underwent early lipid remodeling involving phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylglycerols, and galactolipids, with these changes remaining relatively stable throughout storage. Flavoromic analysis showed storage-associated depletion of fresh-related aldehydes and sulfur-containing volatiles, whereas goose egg yolks displayed broader but more moderate reductions across aldehydes, alcohols, and hydrocarbons. Pathway enrichment linked these molecular changes to fatty acid transport, phosphatidylcholine remodeling, and vitamin D-related metabolic processes. These results may elucidate species-dependent storage responses of egg yolks and provide a molecular basis for improving refrigerated storage management of duck and goose eggs.