Abstract: Amadori and Heyns rearrangement products (ARPs and HRPs) are pivotal active early-stage intermediates in the Maillard reaction. Endowed with both flavor and health potentials, they serve as core natural ingredients for achieving ''sodium reduction without flavor loss'' in low-sodium foods. To tackle the bottlenecks of extensive side reactions and limited directional conversion efficiency in traditional aqueous systems, this paper systematically reviews the latest research advances in the directional synthesis strategies and taste properties of ARPs/HRPs. It focuses on summarizing emerging green synthesis technologies, namely hydrogen bond network regulation mediated by natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) and mechanochemical ball-milling method, and elucidates their reaction mechanisms and manufacturing advantages in breaking crystalline lattice energy barriers, inhibiting advanced side reactions, and significantly boosting targeted synthesis efficiency. Meanwhile, the multi-dimensional synergistic enhancement effects of ARPs/HRPs on umami, saltiness and kokumi are thoroughly discussed, and the molecular structure-activity relationship is revealed: amino acid residues determine characteristic taste profiles, while glycosyl skeletons dominate processing stability. Looking forward, further breakthroughs remain to be made in steady-state regulation and low-cost enrichment and purification processes in complex matrices, along with in-depth elucidation of taste receptor interaction mechanisms, to realize precise industrial application.