Abstract:Mutton is a meat for both food and medicine in traditional food culture of China.It is high in protein，low in fat，rich in phospholipids，vitamins，and minerals，and is delicious，juicy，and easy to digest.China is a major producer and consumer of mutton，and there is a wide variety of mutton products available.In recent years，there has been a growing demand for high-quality mutton products.The flavor of mutton and its products is one of the essential factors affecting consumer purchasing power and satisfaction，and the study of characteristic flavor substances in mutton is closely related to the development of mutton industry.This article provided an overview of the composition，formation pathways，and main influencing factors of characteristic volatile flavor substances in mutton and its processed products，aiming to provide a basis for the further development and utilization of mutton and its products.