Advancements in understanding and improving duck egg odor: Mechanisms, influential factors, and innovative strategies

Duck eggs, holding significant nutritional and commercial value, often face limitations due to their characteristic unpleasant fishy odor, predominantly originating from the egg yolk. Advancing the development and utilization of duck eggs requires a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms behind odor formation and effective mitigation strategies. This review consolidates current research on the sources, detection methods, and formation mechanisms of duck egg odor, emphasizing factors such as dietary feed, breeding systems, and processing methods. It delves into the roles of gut microbiota, genetic factors such as flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) gene mutations, trimethylamine (TMA), and lipid and protein oxidation in odor development. Advanced processing and storage technologies, including physical treatments, protein modification, enzymatic processing, and coating preservation, are highlighted as promising approaches to reducing odor. Future research priorities include developing more sophisticated detection methods and gaining deeper insights into the genetic factors influencing odor formation. [Display omitted] •The potential mechanism of duck egg odor flavor formation is outlined.•Feed, FMO3, and gut microbes affect duck egg odor by altering TMA content.•The oxidation of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids dominates duck egg odor formation.•The LDL structural destruction leads to lipid leakage and migration in egg.•Alterations of feed and processing are proposed to improve duck egg flavor.