Integrated multi-omics analysis deciphers the molecular mechanisms underlying the characteristic volatile flavor of Meishan pork
- 1MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China
- 2Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China
- 3Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 China
Abstract
Background: The Meishan pig is a celebrated indigenous Chinese swine breed renowned for its distinctive flavor profile. However, the specific signature flavor compounds and the molecular mechanisms underlying their formation remain largely uncharacterized. This study aimed to comprehensively profile the volatile flavor compounds across five pig breeds and decipher the molecular basis of the characteristic flavor of Meishan pork.
Results: Comparative analysis combining electronic nose, headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), and relative odor activity value calculations revealed that Meishan pork contained significantly higher levels of four key aroma compounds: hexanal, nonanal, 2-pentylfuran, and (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal. Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses identified oleic acid and α-linolenic acid as critical precursors and highlighted the high expression of the arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase gene (ALOX5) in Meishan pigs. Heating experiments confirmed that these fatty acids yield characteristic flavor compounds upon thermal oxidation. Furthermore, functional studies demonstrated that ALOX5 catalyzes the conversion of these precursors into flavor aldehydes.
Conclusions: The distinctive flavor of Meishan pork is associated with a dual mechanism: thermal oxidation of abundant precursors during cooking, and enhanced enzymatic oxidation prior to cooking resulting from constitutively high ALOX5 expression. By deciphering the flavor formation mechanism from metabolic precursors to enzyme-catalyzed conversion, this investigation provides a framework for elucidating meat flavor chemistry and offers potential targets for breeding strategies aimed at improving pork flavor.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-026-01515-7.
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BibTeX
@article{sun2026integrated,
title = {{Integrated multi-omics analysis deciphers the molecular mechanisms underlying the characteristic volatile flavor of Meishan pork}},
author = {Huangbing Sun and Zhongyu Yang and Haoyang Wang and Pengju Du and Wangjun Wu and Guoqiang Fan and Xiaojing Yang},
journal = {Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1186/s40104-026-01515-7},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-026-01515-7},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Integrated multi-omics analysis deciphers the molecular mechanisms underlying the characteristic volatile flavor of Meishan pork
AU - Huangbing Sun
AU - Zhongyu Yang
AU - Haoyang Wang
AU - Pengju Du
AU - Wangjun Wu
AU - Guoqiang Fan
AU - Xiaojing Yang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/04
JO - Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology
DO - 10.1186/s40104-026-01515-7
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-026-01515-7
AB - Background: The Meishan pig is a celebrated indigenous Chinese swine breed renowned for its distinctive flavor profile. However, the specific signature flavor compounds and the molecular mechanisms underlying their formation remain largely uncharacterized. This study aimed to comprehensively profile the volatile flavor compounds across five pig breeds and decipher the molecular basis of the characteristic flavor of Meishan pork. Results: Comparative analysis combining electronic nose, headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), and relative odor activity value calculations revealed that Meishan pork contained significantly higher levels of four key aroma compounds: hexanal, nonanal, 2-pentylfuran, and (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal. Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses identified oleic acid and α-linolenic acid as critical precursors and highlighted the high expression of the arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase gene (ALOX5) in Meishan pigs. Heating experiments confirmed that these fatty acids yield characteristic flavor compounds upon thermal oxidation. Furthermore, functional studies demonstrated that ALOX5 catalyzes the conversion of these precursors into flavor aldehydes. Conclusions: The distinctive flavor of Meishan pork is associated with a dual mechanism: thermal oxidation of abundant precursors during cooking, and enhanced enzymatic oxidation prior to cooking resulting from constitutively high ALOX5 expression. By deciphering the flavor formation mechanism from metabolic precursors to enzyme-catalyzed conversion, this investigation provides a framework for elucidating meat flavor chemistry and offers potential targets for breeding strategies aimed at improving pork flavor. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-026-01515-7.
SN - 1674-9782
SN - 2049-1891
ER -