Effect of marketable age on nutritive profile of goose meat based on widely targeted metabolomics

The nutritive profile is a reliance meat quality trait and is often closely related to marketable ages in meat production. Goose is a herbivorous poultry with the meat being rich in nutritive values. In this study, geese from different marketable ages (70, 120 and 300-day-old) were chosen, and the proximate composition, amino acids, fatty acids and metabolomic profiles of breast meat were determined. Notably, 300-day-old geese contained richer total essential amino acids (Thr, Lys and others), total umami amino acids (Asp, Glu and Arg) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (C18:2n6c) than younger geese. Using widely targeted metabolomics analysis, a total of 776 metabolites which belonged to amino acids, fatty acyls, nucleotides, organic acids, glycerophospholipids, and carboxylic acids were detected in goose meat. Among them, carnitine, anserine and nicotinamide riboside increased, while hypoxanthine, 2-methylsuccinic acid and glutaric acid decreased with the increasing age. Additionally, free amino acids and fatty acids declined, which may transform into the bound state and deposit in older goose meat. Taken together, these data provided a widely targeted metabolomics strategy for underlying nutritive profile from goose meat, and some potential biomarkers for authentication of older geese meat. • Marketable ages profoundly influence the nutritional values of goose meat. • Widely targeted metabolomics strategy is a feasible tool for the discrimination of nutritive profiles. • Potential biomarkers were identified for authentication of older geese. • The meat from older birds were more nutritious and healthy.