Low Quantity but Critical Contribution to Flavor: Review of The Current Understanding of Volatile Sulfur-containing Compounds in Baijiu

Research on the flavor compounds in baijiu has drawn much attention in recent years. Some the studies have focused on the volatile sulfur-containing compounds, a particular class of aroma compounds in baijiu that produces high flavor intensities at low thresholds. This manuscript summarizes the research progress of the sulfur-containing volatiles in baijiu in terms of their species, functions, and formation mechanisms including microbial metabolism and chemical reaction. The extraction and detection methods are also presented. Finally, future research directions for volatile sulfur-containing compounds in baijiu are proposed.