Unraveling the flavor formation of White King pigeon eggs: Identification of signature volatile compounds and their lipid- and water-soluble precursors.

Abstract

This study presents the first systematic integration of gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS), lipidomics, and metabolomics to investigate the flavor profile and precursors of White King (WK) pigeon eggs. A total of 30 volatile compounds were identified, and a flavor wheel for WK eggs was constructed based on 20 key compounds. For the first time, hexadecanal (fabric- and wax-like) and allyl methyl sulfide (onion- and garlic-like) were identified as signature volatile compounds distinguishing WK eggs from Hy-Line Brown (HL) eggs. Integrated lipidomic and metabolomic analyses revealed lipid- and water-soluble precursors associated with these key volatile compounds. Correlation analysis between flavor compounds and precursors revealed the multidimensional basis of WK egg flavor formation. These findings provide a scientific foundation for the sensory evaluation of pigeon egg flavor quality and offer theoretical support for the development and industrial application of flavor modulation strategies in specialty poultry egg products.