Overview of Electronic Olfactory Systems for Volatile Compound Measurements During Food Processing: Principles, Methods, Systems, and Applications

ABSTRACT Volatile compounds generated during food processing are closely associated with product quality, and their real‐time monitoring provides an effective approach for dynamically tracking quality changes and ensuring product consistency. This review aims to summarize the formation mechanisms of volatile compounds during food processing and to examine current principles, methods, and application progress in real‐time monitoring, with particular emphasis on biological olfaction and biomimetic sensing technologies. The available studies indicate that food flavor is shaped by complex processes such as water migration, browning, oxidation, and sugar metabolism, and that the resulting volatile compounds play a decisive role in the sensory properties of final products. Because different volatile compounds exhibit distinct chemical characteristics, effective monitoring depends on sensor systems with appropriate sensitivity and selectivity, as well as on the integration of real‐time detection with automation for process regulation and quality control. Although challenges remain in sensor performance, selectivity, and system integration, real‐time volatile monitoring shows considerable promise for food processing applications. Overall, advances in ultra‐fast and highly selective sensors, customizable hardware architectures, and data‐driven intelligent platforms with integrated multi‐sensor systems are expected to further promote the development and practical implementation of e‐nose technologies.