Abstract: Phospholipids, a class of polar lipids with complex structure and multiple functions, are composed of glycerophospholipids and sphingomyelins. As an important component of cell membranes, phospholipids are involved in many physiological activities, such as cell signal transduction, lipid droplet formation and cell apoptosis. The transformation, hydrolysis and oxidation of phospholipids impart meat and meat products with unique texture, flavor and nutritional quality. The functional properties of phospholipids vary with their polar groups and the type of fatty acids at the sn-1/sn-2 positions, and lipidomics provides powerful technical support for the structural confirmation and characterization of phospholipids. In this article, the structures and functions of phospholipids and the methods for their detection and analysis are reviewed with a focus on recent progress in research on how phospholipids are involved in intramuscular fat deposition in farm animals and regulate the quality of fresh meat and processed meat products, in order to provide references for precise regulation of the quality of livestock and poultry meat.

Key words: phospholipids; glycerophospholipids; sphingomyelins; lipidomics; meat; quality