Decoding Sulfur-Containing Aroma Compounds in Foods: From Key Odorant Mapping to Structure–Odor Mechanisms and Flavor Design

Summary

This narrative review synthesises knowledge on sulfur-containing aroma compounds (SACs), which contribute characteristic flavors to meat, coffee, and fermented foods through extremely low odor thresholds and potent flavor activity. The review progresses from component detection and quantification methods through structure–odor relationships and olfactory receptor recognition mechanisms, to translational applications including flavor retention, off-flavor regulation, and functional food design. The authors identify key challenges in decoding nonlinear olfactory combinatorial coding and propose future integration of neuroscience, explainable artificial intelligence, and sustainable biomanufacturing for precision SAC design.

Regional applicability

The review's mechanistic and sensory science findings are applicable to United Kingdom food industry and research contexts, particularly for meat processing, fermented products, and coffee. The emphasis on sustainable green biomanufacturing aligns with UK food policy directions on resource efficiency, though implementation would depend on adopting referenced international methods and standards.

Key measures

Odor thresholds; structure–activity relationships; olfactory receptor recognition; computational simulations of flavor perception; detection and quantification methods for SACs

Outcomes reported

The review synthesises detection and quantification methods for sulfur-containing aroma compounds (SACs), their distribution and odor contributions across meat, coffee and fermented foods, and mechanisms of olfactory perception. It identifies current challenges in food matrix complexity and proposes future directions for predictive frameworks and sustainable biomanufacturing of SACs.

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