Changes in the lipid profiles of hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus) muscle during air-drying via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis

[Display omitted] •Changes in lipid profiles were explored in hairtail during 5 d of air-drying.•Air-drying increased POV and CGV values in hairtail muscle.•131 and 201 DALs at high and low levels were identified in the ADH and FH.•TGs, PCs, LPCs, and LPEs were prone to oxidation/hydrolysis during air-drying. Chemical and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS)-based lipidomics analyses were performed to explore the alterations in lipid profiles in the hairtail muscle during air-drying. The peroxide value (POV) and carbonyl group value (CGV) in the air-dried hairtail (ADH) significantly increased with air-drying time. Lipidomics results revealed 1,326 lipids, which were grouped into 33 lipid categories, including 422 triglycerides (TGs), 170 phosphatidylcholines (PCs), 110 phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), among others. In addition, ADH contained 131 and 201 differentially abundant lipids (DALs) at high and low levels, respectively. Among them, DALs, TGs, PCs, LPCs, and LPEs could be used to distinguish between ADH and FH samples. The apparent alterations in ADH and FH samples were attributed to lipid decomposition, side-chain modifications during oxidation, or oxygen- and salt-promoted lipid oxidation. Thus, this study provides a more comprehensive understanding of hairtail lipid profiles before and after air-drying which can be used as a guide for hairtail products.