Flavor is a pivotal determinant of goat meat quality, influenced by multiple factors. This study investigated flavor formation from a lipid perspective by comparing two distinct breeds at two years old and fed the same diet: the high-altitude Xizang goat (XG; n = 6, 26. 23 ± 0. 72 kg), renowned for its unique meat flavor, and the low-altitude meat-type Jianzhou big-ear goat (JBG; n = 6, 63. 93 ± 0. 98 kg). Lipid profiles were analyzed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), and flavor variations were assessed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). We identified 630 significantly differential lipids (VIP > 1, p 1, p 0. 8, p < 0. 05) between several upregulated glycerophospholipids—including PC (13: 0₁6: 0), PE (16: 0₂0: 5), PE (20: 5₁6: 1), PMeOH (16: 0₂2: 4), and PS (18: 2₂0: 5) —and fruity esters such as ethyl heptanoate and butyl butyrate in XG meat, directly contributing to its more intense fruity sensory profile. Collectively, this study demonstrated that the phospholipid-rich lipidome of high-altitude XG served as a key substrate for generating fruity esters, which fundamentally distinguishes its more complex and preferred sensory profile from the triglyceride-dominated lipidome of JBG meat. These findings establish a potential molecular link between lipid composition and meat flavor, providing a biochemical explanation for traditional flavor preferences and highlighting the importance of lipid metabolism in determining the quality of goat meat.
Li et al. (2026) studied this question.