Evaluation of lipid profile in different tissues of Japanese abalone Haliotis discus hannai Ino with UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS-based lipidomic study

Abalone has been farmed commercially for the last few decades, and the breeding and economic value of abalone have gained extensive attention. In this study, the lipid profile of the foot muscles, viscera, and gonads of male and female Japanese abalone Haliotis discus hannai Ino was explored using ultra performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS), to discuss the effect of lipid composition on its nutritional value. Thirty-four species from ten lipid classes including phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidic acid, triacylglycerol, steroids, terpenoids and fatty acids were annotated by MS-DIAL to obtain all fragment ions for precursors. Glycerophospholipids (GPLs) enriched in unsaturated fatty acids were the major components, which accounted for 52-57% of total lipids. Considering the high-level of GPLs, and their importance in maintaining the integrity and functionality of cell membranes, further utilization of inexpensive tissues, such as viscera and gonads is warranted.