Integrative strategies for strawberry flavor optimization: From molecular biosynthesis to data-driven quality control

Strawberry flavor directly influences consumer acceptance, yet its consistency and quality are often compromised along the field-to-fork continuum due to limited understanding of the biosynthesis and retention of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This review synthesizes recent insights into the formation and regulation of VOCs, highlighting how VOC profiles are shaped by fruit ontogeny, genotype-environment interactions, cultivation practices, postharvest management and processing. Based on these insights, we propose a production-spanning intervention strategy to stabilize flavor. High-throughput profiling powered by machine learning integrates sensory and consumer datasets into predictive models of flavor phenotypes, identifying critical control points across the chain. Complementary molecular tagging enables real-time, in situ monitoring of flavor dynamics. Expanding this strategy to systematically incorporate NVOCs will be critical for achieving a more integrative understanding of strawberry flavor. Collectively, these data-driven approaches transform empirical flavor management into a quantifiable and scalable paradigm bridging chemistry, technology, and consumer perception.