An exploratory study on the development of a sensory wheel affiliated with the emotional lexicon for chrysanthemum infusion

Chrysanthemum infusion has gained popularity outside of the East Asian market in recent years. However, despite the growing international demand, standardized methods to evaluate the sensory attributes of chrysanthemum tea, which are essential for guiding consumers and ensuring quality control, remain underdeveloped. In this study, a trained panel conducted a quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA®) of eight chrysanthemum samples, successfully distinguishing between them. Additionally, consumer emotional responses to chrysanthemum infusion were assessed using the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) method. By mapping the descriptive sensory data with emotional response data through Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), we identified sensory drivers that elicit specific emotional responses. For this analysis, the emotion lexicon from EsSense25 was clustered into six dimensions: pleasant, tame, warm, active, negative, and bored. Our findings indicate that attributes such as smoothness and chrysanthemum-cucumber flavour induce calm and reassuring emotions (e.g., secure, understanding, calm, and tame). Conversely, sweetness and floral flavour are associated with positive emotions such as happiness, joy, and general well-being, suggesting that floral sweet beverages can mitigate negative emotions. However, sensory attributes such as bitterness, astringency, and vegetal aroma were linked to negative emotions and were sometimes associated with feelings of activity. The development of a sensory wheel, integrated with the emotional lexicon for chrysanthemum infusion, provides a tool for identifying sensory drivers behind emotional experiences. This tool offers valuable insights for market applications and product development, enhancing consumer satisfaction by aligning product attributes with desired emotional outcomes.