Abstract:Smoked food is popular with consumers because of its unique flavor and taste. The edible-grade liquid smoke has become a key ingredient in determining the flavor quality of smoked food with the liquid smoking technique application in smoked food processing. However, the lack of research on the basic theory and processing technology of liquid smoke has led to limited diversity and flavor in the Chinese market. Smoked food produced using liquid smoke often lacks the characteristic flavor and is prone to homogenization, which hinders the modern development of the smoked food industry. A profound comprehension of the mechanisms underlying the formation of volatile flavor compounds during the preparation of liquid smoke, as well as the exploration of regulatory pathway, is crucial for enhancing the quality of liquid smoke. This article starts from the process of liquid smoke, the factors affecting the formation of volatile flavor compounds in liquid smoke were discussed from the aspects of type, moisture content and particle size of raw material, oxygen content, processing temperature, and refining method, to provide new ideas for the directional control of the production of high-quality edible-grade liquid smoke products
