Changes in Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Leaves by Roasting Treatment

Abstract

To establish the roasting conditions of dandelion leaves for the manufacture of processed foods such as beverages and tea, we investigated the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of dandelion leaves and their hot water extracts by roasting treatment. As the number of roasting times increased, the free sugar content of the roasted dandelion leaves decreased, and in particular, free amino acid and total polyphenol content decreased greatly after only 1 roasting treatment. The amino nitrogen and total polyphenol contents of the roasted dandelion leaf hot water extracts also decreased greatly, and their L-, a-, and b-values showed much lower values than those of the raw leaf extracts. However, a greater amount of reducing sugars was extracted in the roasted leaves than in the raw leaves, suggesting that the roasting process allows for easier extraction of the compounds in dandelion leaves. Five sensory characteristics, including astringent taste, bitter taste, peen flavor, burnt taste, and sweet odor, were deduced through quantitative descriptive analysis of the hot water extracts. Among them, astringent taste, bitter taste, and green flavor showed significant differences between roasting treatments. The sensory evaluation results show that as the number of roasting times increased, the palatability of the hot water extracts increased greatly, in terms of color and taste.