Recent advances in sulfur-containing flavors of garlic (Allium sativum L.): formation mechanisms, controlling factors and innovative processing technologies

) is considered one of the most important vegetables worldwide. Sulfur-containing compounds in garlic contribute to its unique flavor and function as important bioactive components. However, these sulfur-containing flavor compounds are chemically unstable and are affected by a range of factors, leading to variations in garlic flavor and quality. This review analyzes the mechanisms underlying the formation of sulfur-containing flavor compounds and examines the factors influencing them in garlic during preprocessing (genotype, environment, cultivation, and storage) and processing (thermal, fermentation, and curing). This review highlights how these factors impact flavor formation and variability. This review also summarizes innovative analytical techniques for dynamic flavor monitoring, machine learning-assisted prediction, and strategies to improve bioavailability. Integrating these approaches has the potential to enhance targeted garlic cultivation and processing, reduce costs, and represent a promising future research direction for optimizing garlic flavor quality.