Flavoromics-based profiling of flavor compound dynamics across the strong-flavor Baijiu production chain

With increasing consumer demand for high-quality products, the Baijiu industry has been transitioning from volume-based to flavor-oriented production. Among various types, strong-flavor Baijiu has gained widespread recognition for its complex and distinctive sensory profile. In this study, a vacuum assisted sorbent extraction (VASE) method was established and optimized, and coupled with GC–MS to enable efficient separation and identification of trace compounds across 13 representative samples spanning the entire production chain of strong-flavor Baijiu. A total of 143 trace compounds were identified, dominated by esters. Based on OAV and TAV, 60 flavor compounds were screened, of which 21 were detected in final Baijiu products. Subsequently, a multidimensional flavor perception model revealed differences between raw and aged Baijiu. Building on this, correlation analysis that identified 10 key flavor compounds, whose contributions were further validated through addition experiments. Additionally, cumulative flavor contribution analysis revealed that solid-state fermentation and distillation were critical for flavor enrichment. Specifically, esters and alcohols peaked during solid-state fermentation and solid-state distillation; acids accumulated continuously across all stages, while aldehydes, ketones, and aromatic compounds showed early formation and variable retention patterns. These findings establish a comprehensive molecular–sensory framework that supports improved quality control and process optimization in Baijiu production.