Flavor evolution analysis of sugarcane water at critical processing stages based on sensor fingerprints and volatile compound profiles

To comprehensively elucidate the dynamic evolution of the flavor system throughout the industrial production process of sugarcane water (SW), stage-resolved samples from activated carbon (AC), reverse osmosis (RO), and ozone (O 3 ) treatments were collected for E-Nose, E-Tongue, and HS-SPME-GC-MS analyses. A total of 46 VOCs were identified, eight marker compounds (VIP >1) were screened and six key aroma compounds were identified (OAV >1) throughout the process. Raw water (RW) exhibited a taste profile dominated by sweetness with prominent bitterness, while its aroma was characterized by nonanal (citrusy/fatty notes), methyl 2-methylbutanoate (fruity note), and acetaldehyde (pungent/grassy notes). AC treatment significantly reduced both sweetness and bitterness through its physical adsorption. RO treatment caused a “pseudo-rebound” in these taste attributes, interpreted as a matrix-associated sensor response rather than direct evidence of increased sweet/bitter compound concentrations. After AC and RO, the aroma profile was co-dominated by nonanal and methyl 2-methylbutanoate. The final O 3 treatment profoundly reshaped the aroma profile and was associated with a sweetness-dominant taste profile, accompanied by a significant increase in aldehyde compounds. The combined contribution of these volatile compounds shifted the overall aroma profile of SW toward distinct grassy, fatty, and citrusy notes. • Aldehydes were markedly enriched after O 3 treatment and dominated the final aroma-active profile. • E-Nose/E-Tongue and HS-SPME-GC-MS revealed stage-resolved flavor evolution across AC, RO and O 3 . • AC and RO mainly attenuated the original volatile fingerprint by reducing key volatiles. • E-Tongue responses showed RW sweetness with bitterness, a RO “pseudo-rebound”, and a final sweetness-dominant profile. • E-Nose fingerprints confirmed the most distinct aroma shift occurred after ozonation.