The mud crab Scylla paramamosain is a widely distributed, economically important species, yet habitat-related variation in hepatopancreatic lipids and volatile compounds remains unclear. Hepatopancreas samples from Nansha (GNS, estuary) and Taizhou (ZTZ, semi-enclosed bay) (n = 6 per site) were profiled by LC-MS/MS lipidomics and HS-SPME-GC-MS volatile analysis. We detected 1401 lipid features and 835 volatile compounds, including 479 differentially abundant lipids (VIP > 1, raw P < 0.05). GNS exhibited decreases in glycerolipids (TGs: 128/139 down; DGs: 37/37 down) and increases in glycerophospholipids (PCs: 21/36 up; PEs: 30/34 up), suggesting estuary-associated neutral-lipid mobilization and membrane lipid remodeling. OAV evaluation indicated higher flavor intensity in ZTZ, driven by ( E , Z )-2,6-nonadienal, whose OAV was approximately 6.6 times higher than in GNS and likely exerted a strong sensory masking effect. ROAV analysis suggested greater flavor complexity in GNS, supported by six unique key odorants and 14 additional flavor modifiers. Spearman analysis identified 11 lipid–VOC associations (q < 0.05), all involving the fruity ester 2-methylbutyl hexanoate, which was higher in GNS (1.276 μg g -1 ) than ZTZ (0.147 μg g -1 ). Collectively, these results provide an integrated lipidomics and volatile profiling framework that connects habitat-associated lipid remodeling to flavor differentiation in Scylla paramamosain hepatopancreas. Workflow for comparing lipidomic and volatile profiles of mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) from an estuary and a semi-enclosed bay using LC-MS/MS lipidomics, HS-SPME-GC-MS volatile analysis, OAV/ROAV screening, and DAL–VOC correlation analysis. • Compared hepatopancreas lipids and volatile compounds: estuary and semi-enclosed bay. • In the estuary mud crab, TGs and DGs decreased whereas GPs and carnitine increased. • Aldehydes dominated odor activity, ( E , Z )-2,6-nonadienal was primary contributor. • ( E , Z )-2,6-nonadienal OAV in ZTZ 6.6 times higher than in GNS, with strong masking effects. • Spearman correlation identified 11 lipid–VOC pairs, all involving 2-methylbutyl hexanoate.
Fang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.