Recent advances in understanding the modulatory mechanisms of saliva in flavor perception

Saliva is a unique biological fluid of the oral cavity, and it plays a key role in flavor perception during food consumption. However, the mechanisms by which saliva regulates in situ flavor perception through biochemical and materials chemistry interactions remain poorly understood. This review summarizes 25 years of research on saliva's role in modulating flavor perception, highlighting its involvement in aroma, taste, and chemosensory processes from biochemical and materials perspectives. Due to the complexity of saliva and the diversity of flavor compounds, flavor perception varies widely. Clarifying the biochemical and microstructural changes during saliva-food interactions can help determine how saliva regulates flavor perception. Integrating saliva's biochemical properties with microstructure design is key to achieving personalized flavor engineering.