Abstract: As the most widely used food flavor additive in the world, the production route of vanillin directly affects the flavor characteristics and market value of its products. Vanillin extracted from plants usually retains a variety of volatile compounds in vanilla pods, so it has rich flavor layers and complex aromas. In contrast, chemical synthesis lacks the flavor complexity of natural vanillin due to the limitations of raw materials and reaction conditions. In recent years, with the increase in consumer preference for natural foods, biosynthesis of vanillin has become a hot market concern due to its natural attributes and economy. By utilizing enzymes, genes and metabolic engineering, biosynthesis can effectively increase the yield of vanillin and has the capability to control the generation of by-products with natural characteristic flavors, which demonstrates a broad prospect for industrialization and flavor quality optimization. This review summarizes the major production methods of vanillin, analyzes the effects of different production methods on its flavor quality, and discusses the future development direction of vanillin, with a view to providing new technical support and ideas for the sustainable development of the vanillin industry.

Key words: vanillin; production methods; flavor quality