Advances in mead production and flavor characteristics: traditional and modern techniques, metabolic pathways of volatile compounds, and sensory evaluation

Mead, a historically significant fermented beverage, is experiencing renewed interest due to its distinctive sensory properties and potential health benefits. Despite this resurgence, substantial challenges persist in production optimization and flavor mechanism elucidation. This review systematically examines advances in mead production, emphasizing the systematic integration of traditional practices with modern biotechnological approaches. Critical research gaps are identified: the absence of standardized fermentation parameters (temperature, microbial consortia, aging conditions) and limited understanding of microbial conversion pathways for honey components, particularly non-Saccharomyces yeasts. Current research has characterized approximately 450 volatile compounds, with esters and terpenoids identified as crucial to the sensory profile. Nevertheless, sensory evaluation methodologies remain hampered by inconsistencies, subjectivity, and the lack of quantitative models correlating volatile compounds with sensory attributes. This review proposes future research priorities including process optimization, metabolic pathway elucidation, and standardization of sensory evaluation through multi-omics methodologies to advance production and quality control.