Gumamela (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) Herbal Infusion: a Sensory Analysis

Researchers:

Emilio Tupaz III

Hanah Joy Francisco

Pamela Louise Apacible

Danica Ramos

Iole Templanza

Research Adviser: Mrs. Ma. Regaele A. Olarte

Abstract

The study investigated the sensory attributes and general acceptability of gumamela (Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis) herbal infusion. The presence of beneficial nutrients in gumamela petals led the researchers to utilize it as an herbal juice drink. It aimed to test if there is a significant difference between different samples of    gumamela herbal infusion and commercial tea (Lipton_TM), another product of herbal infusion, in terms of color, aroma, taste, and flavor and of flavor and shelf life.  After the processes of sterilizing, infusing, and cooling, the gumamela herbal infusion was served in a random order with codes that tally the score and master sheets. The results were decoded and the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the statistical significance of the test.

Results showed that there was no significant difference in terms of taste, color and aroma which means that gumamela (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) herbal infusion is comparable to commercial herbal infusion. The flavor and of-flavor tests yielded to a more positive result, as there was a significant difference stating that in the said characteristics, gumamela herbal infusion was more preferred by the respondents. The analysis demonstrated that aside from having low cost and high medicinal value, gumamela herbal infusion also possesses positive sensory attributes that make it generally acceptable to the public.