Sucrose-phosphate osmotic system improves the quality characteristics of reduced-salt salted egg yolk: Profiling from protein structure and lipid distribution perspective.

• High osmotic pressure system facilitated the preparation of reduced-salt salted egg yolk. • The mixed sucrose-phosphate-salt pickling system accelerated salt penetration. • Phosphate promoted the formation of dense and stable network structures in protein. • Small molecular weight protein bound with each other to form large aggregates. • The salted egg yolk of 28 d had loose sandy texture and lower salt content (1.07%). This paper was dedicated to the study of the effect of sucrose-phosphate on aspects of physicochemical properties, lipid distribution and protein structure during the picklig of reduced‐salt salted egg yolk (SEY). This work constructed a reduced‐salt pickling system from a new perspective (promoting osmosis) by using a sucrose-phosphate-salt. Results showed that SEY-28d achieved a desirable salt content (1.07 %), hardness (573.46 g) and springiness (0.65 g). The matured SEY was in excellent quality with orange-red color and loose sandy texture. This was because the lipoprotein aggregated with each other through hydrophobic interaction to form a stable network structure. In addition, the hypertonic environment accelerated salt penetration. These also created good condition for lipid spillage. The results of confocal laser scanning microscope also verified this phenomenon. This work provides important guidance for new reduced‐salt curing of traditional pickled foods, deep processing of SEY, and industry development in the field of poultry egg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]