Modulation Strategies for Sweet Aroma in Traditional Fermented Foods: Mechanisms, Evaluation, and Analysis Methods

ABSTRACT Sweet aroma, a core sensory attribute of traditional fermented foods, critically modulates flavour profiles, consumer preference, acceptance, and market competitiveness. Unlike gustatory sweetness, it is olfactorily perceived and driven by aroma compounds biogenically derived from thermal decomposition, Maillard reaction, and cross‐modal sensory interactions. These aroma‐active compounds originate from fermentation‐associated biochemical networks involving microbial metabolism and enzymatic activity, exhibiting mutual regulation, abiotic factors, and exerting key effects. Despite its significance, the mechanisms underlying sweet aroma formation remain underexplored. Current research primarily concentrates on isolated factors, with insufficient integration of multi‐factor synergistic regulatory mechanisms. Meanwhile, existing aroma‐enhancing technologies exhibit limited efficiency, and emerging approaches remain unsystematic. This review explores sweet aroma compositions, sensory mechanisms, influencing factors, and advanced analysis methods. It provides insights for developing sustainable, innovative fermentation strategies to produce high‐quality, health‐promoting products meeting demands including clean labels and sugar reduction.