Descriptive Analysis of Seven Leguminous Plants in Korea

Legumes are dicotyledonous plants, and they represent the third-largest plant family seeds distributed globally. This study aimed to develop a lexicon for seven well-known legumes: kidney bean, mung bean, chickpea, green kernel black bean, black bean, soybean, and red bean. A sensory lexicon describing the aroma characteristics of legumes was developed, and the intensity of each aroma attribute was evaluated using a 15-point universal scale in SpectrumTM. Nine aroma terms were developed: boiled egg yolk, bean sprout, chicken breast, boiled chestnut, soymilk, green bean, raw peanut shell, soil odor, and mango. The lexicon identified nine descriptions for the sensory characteristics of legumes. Kidney bean, mung bean, and red bean had high green bean, bean sprout, and soil odor aromas, whereas soybean, green kernel black bean, black bean, and chickpea had strong boiled egg yolk, boiled chestnut, and chicken breast aromas. These results can aid food product developers with flavor optimization in product formulation.