A Review of Current Research on the Flavor and Medicinal Efficacy of Chinese Olive (Canarium album Raeusch.) as a Medicinal Food

Chinese olive is recognized as a medicinal food by the National Health Commission of China. As a fresh fruit, its flavor profile is shaped by a variety of compounds such as flavonoids, polyphenols, amino acids, cellulose, pectin, terpenes, sugar, and acid, which contribute to its bitterness, sweet aftertaste, texture, and aroma. External factors like soil types, cultivation methods, harvest time, and storage conditions also affect its eating quality. As a traditional Chinese medicinal material, it exhibits various pharmacological activities including anti-alcohol and hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-aging, blood sugar- and lipid-lowering, and gut microbiota-regulating effects owing to its bioactive components such as flavonoids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, and lipids. The formation of the flavor and medicinal efficacy of Chinese olive is both interrelated and contradictory with each other. From the perspective of its dual uses as medicine and food, the current status of research on the eating quality and pharmacological activities of Chinese olive is reviewed, and an integrative framework that combines breeding strategies, component identification, efficacy exploration, and quality improvement is proposed to provide theoretical guidance for future development and utilization of the flavor and medicinal efficacy of Chinese olive.