日本語版

rosemary

spice or herb / spice-rosemary

ローズマリー

Rosemary is the leaves of the herb rosemary, plus its extracts and essential oil. When added to food, bitterness stayed unchanged in some tests and increased in others.

On this page (8 sections)
  1. Overview
  2. Sources for this overview (10)
  3. Follow the connections
  4. Related entries (5)
  5. Composition and content (1)
  6. Sensory (7)
  7. How processing and cooking change it (3)
  8. Culture (1)
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Reading the bitterness

A table in a Japanese review describes the taste of rosemary as a strong aroma mixing wood, pine, flower, eucalyptus and clove notes, with a mildly bitter flavor. A product description for a household spice likewise states that its sweet fragrance and flavor with pronounced mild bitterness remain after the dish is finished. Both are descriptions of taste, not numerical measurements of bitterness intensity. As for the substance behind the bitterness, a table in another review lists carnosic acid (a diterpene) as common to rosemary and sage, but its bitter taste receptor column reads unknown, so this is not a result confirmed in receptor experiments.

There are tests in which adding rosemary did not increase bitterness. In pork meatballs and hamburger patties made with 0.05% ethanol extract, an 8-member trained panel found no significant difference in bitterness scores from the unsupplemented control (meatballs 0.4 and 0.4; hamburger patties 0.2 and 0.2). In a test adding 0.05% extract to cold-pressed flaxseed oil, the bitterness of the fresh oil was 1.9, the same as the unsupplemented oil. However, both are results at a single concentration, and in the flaxseed oil the day on which bitterness became unacceptable during storage (70 days at 25°C) was also the same as the unsupplemented oil.

In a test adding an aqueous extract to jelly candy, a 15-member trained panel found that bitterness scores did not differ from the unsupplemented candy at any of the low, medium or high amounts. However, the authors suggest that stevia, which has a bitter aftertaste, may have masked a difference, and they write that the extract itself is bitter. In a test adding rosemary to olive oil as fresh, dried or essential oil, bitterness at 6 months was 3.31 for the unsupplemented oil against 2.73 for fresh, 4.14 for dried and 3.44 for essential oil, with no significant differences; but there were only 6 assessors, and olive oil is itself bitter.

On the other hand, there are tests in which bitterness did appear. Bread made by replacing 1% of the flour with the residue left after rosemary essential oil was extracted received the highest bitterness score from 15 trained assessors, higher than bread made with oregano, lemon balm or spearmint residue. The carnosol and carnosic acid the authors cite as the reason are conjecture. In a test putting an extract in film wrapped around salami, a 12-member tasting panel found a significant difference in bitterness scores, but only some samples differed significantly from the control, and the panel was not made up of trained experts. In fermented thick cream, essential oil at 0.24% and 0.34% made bitterness and other attributes excessive and lowered overall acceptance, but individual bitterness scores were not confirmed. The samples were extracts, residue and essential oil, not the leaf itself.

Sources for this overview

  1. スパイスの化学受容と機能性

    川端 二功 / 2013 / review / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: The description of taste in the review table (a strong aroma and a mildly bitter flavor) was used at the start of paragraph 1.

  2. ローズマリー｜洋風スパイス｜商品カタログ（ハウス食品）

    ハウス食品株式会社 / / other / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: The product description's statement about a flavor with pronounced mild bitterness was used in paragraph 1.

  3. Activation of Extraoral Bitter Taste Receptors by Herbs and Spices in the Regulation of Incretin Signaling and Glucose Metabolism

    Komarnytsky S; Mhawish R; Wagner C / 2026 / review / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: The review table's entry of carnosic acid and an unknown receptor was used at the end of paragraph 1.

  4. Sensory Analysis in Assessing the Possibility of Using Ethanol Extracts of Spices to Develop New Meat Products

    Szymandera-Buszka Krystyna; Waszkowiak Katarzyna; Jędrusek-Golińska Anna; Hęś Marzanna / 2020 / journal article / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: The point that bitterness did not differ from the control in meatballs and hamburger patties was used in paragraph 2.

  5. The Effect of Rosemary Extract on the Sensory Quality of Flaxseed Oil During Storage

    Sielicka Maria; Małecka Maria / 2017 / journal article / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: The point that the bitterness of fresh flaxseed oil was the same was used in paragraph 2.

  6. Assessment of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Extract as Antioxidant in Jelly Candies Made with Fructan Fibres and Stevia

    Cedeño-Pinos Cristina; Martínez-Tomé Magdalena; Murcia María Antonia; Jordán María José; Bañón Sancho / 2020 / journal article / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: The point that bitterness was unchanged in jelly candy and that stevia may have had an influence was used in paragraph 3.

  7. How storage time affects sensory, chemical, and physical characteristics of flavored olive oil

    Kacalova Tereza; Jarosova Alzbeta / 2023 / journal article / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: The point that bitterness showed no significant difference in olive oil was used in paragraph 3.

  8. Physicochemical Characteristics, Antioxidant Properties, Aroma Profile, and Sensory Qualities of Value-Added Wheat Breads Fortified with Post-Distillation Solid Wastes of Aromatic Plants

    Nouska Chrysanthi; Irakli Maria; Georgiou Miltiadis; Lytou Anastasia E.; Skendi Adriana; Bouloumpasi Elisavet; Chatzopoulou Paschalina; Biliaderis Costas G.; Lazaridou Athina / 2023 / journal article / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: The point that the bitterness score was highest in bread made with residue was used in paragraph 4.

  9. Evaluation of the Oxidative Status of Salami Packaged with an Active Whey Protein Film

    Andrade Mariana A.; Ribeiro-Santos Regiane; Guerra Manuela; Sanches-Silva Ana / 2019 / journal article / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: The point that bitterness differed significantly in salami film was used in paragraph 4.

  10. Rosemary Essential Oil as a Natural Preservative in Fermented Thick Cream: Effects on Microbial Stability, Physicochemical Properties, and Sensory Quality

    Maaroufi Karima; Mhamdi Baya; Aouadhi Chedia; Hosni Karim; Sebai Hichem / 2026 / journal article / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: The point that bitterness became excessive at high concentrations of essential oil in cream was used in paragraph 4.

Follow the connections

rosemary →— sensory attribute→ bitterness →can be measured separately …→ astringency

Structured claims — open a section to read each claim's confidence, evidence and limits

Composition and content (1)

rosemary — bitterness is attributed to: Carnosic acid (a diterpene). Table 1 of the review, 'Bitter principles of common spices and herbs', lists carnosic acid (diterpenes) as the bitter principle of rosemary and sage, and gives the bitter taste receptor as 'unknown'.preliminary

Scope: The table of a review (a summary of Bayer et al. and Zaikin et al.). The entry common to rosemary and sage.

Note: This is a review's table, and we have not confirmed the original sensory or receptor experiments. The bitter taste receptor column is 'unknown', and no receptor activation is shown. It cannot be said that the bitterness of rosemary extract is mainly due to carnosic acid. Nouska 2023 gives the same component as the reason for a bitterness conjecture but does not verify it.

The Leaves entry in Table 1 reads 'Rosemary, sage | Carnosic acid | Diterpenes | Unknown' (the columns are spice/herb, bitter principle, chemical class, and activated bitter taste receptor TAS2R). The table title is 'Bitter principles of common spices and herbs and the activation pattern of the corresponding bitter taste receptors. Summarized from Bayer et al. (reference 36) and Zaikin et al. (reference 37).'
Limitations: A secondary source. Because the receptor column is unknown, it cannot serve as evidence from receptor experiments.
Source: Activation of Extraoral Bitter Taste Receptors by Herbs and Spices in the Regulation of Incretin Signaling and Glucose Metabolism (Komarnytsky S; Mhawish R; Wagner C, 2026) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_bitterness_attributed_to→ (the claim sentence above)
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-diterpene-carnosic-acid-bitter-principle / type: composition / updated: 2026-10-25

Sensory (7)

rosemary shows the sensory response In meatballs and hamburger patties made from pork with 0.05% rosemary ethanol extract, an 8-member trained panel's descriptive sensory evaluation (10 cm line scale) found no significant difference in the bitterness (taste) score from the unsupplemented control (meatballs 0.4 and 0.4; hamburger patties 0.2 and 0.2). Some samples with thyme, basil or oregano extract at the same conditions were more bitter than the control. For rosemary, the spice taste and essential oil taste scores were higher than the control.supported

Scope: Meatballs and hamburger patties made from ground pork. Rosemary ethanol extract at 0.05%. Trained panel of 8.

Note: The composition of the extract (carnosic acid and so on) was not quantified in the text. The bitterness score is on a 0 to 10 line scale. The authors state that the stronger bitterness of the thyme extract than the rosemary one may be due to a difference in phenol content. This is a result at a single concentration of 0.05% and cannot be extended to other concentrations or other foods.

The mean bitterness (taste) scores in Table 2 are, for meatballs, rosemary 0.4 ± 0.2 (a), control 0.4 ± 0.2 (a), thyme 1.7 ± 0.3 (b), basil 1.8 ± 0.2 (b) and oregano 1.2 ± 0.3 (b); and for hamburger patties, rosemary 0.2 ± 0.2 (a), control 0.2 ± 0.1 (a), thyme 1.4 ± 0.3 (bc), basil 1.5 ± 0.3 (c) and oregano 1.2 ± 0.3 (b). The same letter means no significant difference (p < 0.05, one-way analysis of variance with Tukey's test). The discussion states that bitterness was stronger with the thyme extract but not in the product with the rosemary extract. Rosemary scored higher than the control on spice taste and essential oil taste, and consumer liking decreased.
Limitations: A single concentration of 0.05%. The scores are means with ± values attached to a line scale, and the panel had 8 members. The bitter components of the extract were not measured.
Source: Sensory Analysis in Assessing the Possibility of Using Ethanol Extracts of Spices to Develop New Meat Products (Szymandera-Buszka Krystyna; Waszkowiak Katarzyna; Jędrusek-Golińska Anna; Hęś Marzanna, 2020) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_sensory_response→ (the claim sentence above)
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-meat-extract-no-bitter-increase / type: sensory / updated: 2026-10-25
rosemary shows the sensory response When 0.05% rosemary extract (about 25 to 27.5 mg/kg as the sum of carnosic acid and carnosol) was added to cold-pressed flaxseed oil, no difference in taste was identified at the time the oil was opened (same-different test with 100 participants, χ² = 1.45 < 3.84). In the descriptive sensory evaluation by an 11-member trained panel, the bitterness of the fresh oil was 1.9, the same as the unsupplemented oil; the course of bitterness rising during storage (at 25°C, 70 days: 6.8 for unsupplemented and 6.1 with rosemary) was close to the unsupplemented oil, bitterness was lower with the addition only during one interim period, and the day on which bitterness made the oil unacceptable (70 days at 25°C) was the same as for the unsupplemented oil.supported

Scope: Cold-pressed flaxseed oil (Olivin variety). Rosemary extract (commercial liquid product) at 0.05%. Stored at 25°C and 5°C. Trained panel of 11.

In the same-different test (ASTM E2139-05, 100 participants), the χ² values were 1.45 for 0.05% rosemary extract versus control and 0.11 for 0.02% BHT versus control; both were smaller than the critical value of 3.84, so participants could not distinguish the taste. The bitterness scores in Table 1 (25°C) were, at 0 days, 1.9 for control and 1.9 with rosemary; at 28 days, 2.8 and 2.0; at 42 days, 3.7 and 2.5; at 56 days, 4.9 and 4.0; and at 70 days, 6.8 and 6.1. In Table 2 at 5°C, at 112 days it was 6.4 for control and 6.0 with rosemary. The authors state that rosemary addition temporarily delayed the appearance of bitterness, but afterward bitterness was higher than with BHT, and the number of days until bitterness made the oil unacceptable (70 days at 25°C, 112 days at 5°C) was the same as the control. The bitterness of the supplemented oil at 56 days (25°C) was significantly lower than the control.
Limitations: The table scores are means only, with no standard deviation. The design is not one that measures the bitterness of rosemary alone. The same-different test covered fresh oil only.
Source: The Effect of Rosemary Extract on the Sensory Quality of Flaxseed Oil During Storage (Sielicka Maria; Małecka Maria, 2017) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_sensory_response→ (the claim sentence above)
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-flaxseed-oil-bitterness-storage / type: sensory / updated: 2026-10-25
rosemary shows the sensory response Bread made by replacing 1% of the flour with post-distillation rosemary residue (the solid left after essential oil was extracted) received the highest bitterness score from 15 trained assessors, compared with bread containing oregano, lemon balm or spearmint residue. Separately, in a preference evaluation by 75 untrained assessors, the bread with 2% replacement was not accepted, and bitterness was given as one of the reasons.supported

Scope: Wheat bread. Solid post-distillation residue of rosemary and other herbs replacing 1% and 2% of the flour. 15 trained assessors.

Note: The sample is not the rosemary leaf itself but the residue left after essential oil was extracted by steam distillation, and it has been through baking. The scores are in Figure 7, and the text has only a sentence on the ranking. The authors give as the reason for the bitterness conjecture that the bitter diterpenes carnosol and carnosic acid are abundant, and they did not test this.

The text states that bitterness was noted in all breads containing SWAP (post-distillation solid residue). Acceptance (preference) was evaluated by 75 untrained assessors on a 9-point hedonic scale; the bread with 2% replacement was not accepted, and bitterness and other attributes were given as reasons. The attribute intensity evaluation by 15 trained assessors (9-point scale) was carried out only on the 1% bread; bitterness was not very strong, and the assessors did not reject the samples. The weakest bitterness was in the bread with lemon balm, and the highest bitterness score was in the bread with rosemary. The authors conjecture that the reason is the abundance of the bitter diterpenes carnosol and carnosic acid found in the bread.
Limitations: The bitterness scores are shown in a figure, and no numerical values were taken from the text. The basis for the ranking is the sentence in the text alone. The residue differs in composition from rosemary leaf. The relationship between bitterness and diterpenes is the authors' conjecture.
Source: Physicochemical Characteristics, Antioxidant Properties, Aroma Profile, and Sensory Qualities of Value-Added Wheat Breads Fortified with Post-Distillation Solid Wastes of Aromatic Plants (Nouska Chrysanthi; Irakli Maria; Georgiou Miltiadis; Lytou Anastasia E.; Skendi Adriana; Bouloumpasi Elisavet; Chatzopoulou Paschalina; Biliaderis Costas G.; Lazaridou Athina, 2023) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_sensory_response→ (the claim sentence above)
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-bread-residue-most-bitter / type: sensory / updated: 2026-10-25
rosemary shows the sensory response In a test adding an aqueous rosemary extract (mainly rosmarinic acid) to jelly candy, the 15-member trained panel's descriptive evaluation (5-point scale) found that bitterness scores did not differ from the unsupplemented candy when the extract was added at 3 levels, low, medium and high. On the other hand, the astringency score differed significantly by extract type and amount (p < 0.01; the text states it was higher at the medium and high amounts of RE146), but in the lettering of Table 2 the RE146 values of unsupplemented 1.74 (ab), medium 2.14 (a) and high 2.13 (a) share letters and do not show a significant difference in the individual comparison with the unsupplemented candy. The amount at which the trained panel began to detect a difference in taste was 0.26 g of extract per 1 kg of base candy (in a discrimination test with 100 consumers, this amount could not be distinguished).supported

Scope: Jelly candy (containing oligosaccharide, inulin and stevia). 2 aqueous rosemary extracts (RE74 and RE146) added at unsupplemented, low, medium and high levels. Trained panel of 15.

Note: Stevia has a strong bitter aftertaste, and the authors state that this may have masked differences in bitterness. This does not mean the extract has no bitterness (the authors write that the extract is bitter but the bitterness of the candy did not increase). The extract is an aqueous extract obtained from a distillation byproduct, not the rosemary leaf used as a spice. It cannot be said that astringency was significantly higher than the unsupplemented candy (the individual comparison did not show a significant difference).

The text states that adding rosemary extract did not affect the strawberry, sweetness, sourness or bitterness scores (p > 0.05) but produced some off-flavors, and that astringency was higher only at the medium and high amounts of RE146 (p < 0.01) (in the lettering of Table 2, unsupplemented 1.74 ab, medium 2.14 a and high 2.13 a share letters, and no significant difference in the individual comparison with the unsupplemented candy is shown). The mean bitterness scores in Table 2 are, for RE74, unsupplemented 2.34, low 2.44, medium 2.55 and high 2.38, and for RE146, unsupplemented 2.45, low 2.53, medium 2.44 and high 2.36 (standard error 0.12; all effects not significant). The mean astringency scores for RE146 are unsupplemented 1.74, low 1.98, medium 2.14 and high 2.13 (standard error 0.14). The detection threshold, by the trained panel's evaluation, was the medium amount for both extracts (0.26 g per 1 kg of base). In the consumer triangle test with 100 participants (Table 3), 0.26 g/kg was not significantly distinguished (in the comparison of unsupplemented against the medium amount of 0.26 g/kg in Table 3, the correct answers were 38/100 for RE74 and 33/100 for RE146; 30/100 was for the low amount; the 42 needed for significance was not reached). In the discussion, the authors state that the extract did not increase the candy's bitterness despite being bitter because stevia, with its bitter aftertaste, masked the difference.
Limitations: Stevia may have masked the effect on bitterness. In the discrimination test with 100 general consumers, the medium amount was not distinguished.
Source: Assessment of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Extract as Antioxidant in Jelly Candies Made with Fructan Fibres and Stevia (Cedeño-Pinos Cristina; Martínez-Tomé Magdalena; Murcia María Antonia; Jordán María José; Bañón Sancho, 2020) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_sensory_response→ (the claim sentence above)
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-jelly-candy-bitter-unchanged-astringent-up / type: sensory / updated: 2026-10-25
rosemary shows the sensory response Olive oil flavored with rosemary added as fresh, dried or essential oil showed no significant difference in bitterness score from unsupplemented olive oil in sensory evaluations (10 cm line scale) at 3 and 6 months of storage (at 6 months: fresh 2.73, dried 4.14, essential oil 3.44, unsupplemented 3.31). The oil with dried rosemary had the highest bitterness but not significantly. (For reference: pungency (a tingling irritation) increased during storage with dried rosemary. For essential oil, the text states an increase but this does not match the direction of the Table 2 values, so no increase or decrease is asserted. This is a value for the irritant sensation, not bitterness.)preliminary

Scope: Olive oil (Aayrouni variety). Flavored with fresh, dried and essential oil of rosemary. Stored for 0, 3 and 6 months. Trained panel of 6.

Note: Olive oil itself has bitterness (3.76 to 3.31 in the unsupplemented oil), so the bitterness derived from rosemary cannot be separated out. There were 6 assessors (from the description of methods). The meaning of n in the table is not asserted.

The mean ± standard deviation of bitterness in Table 2 is, for the unsupplemented oil, 3.76 ± 2.71 (0 months), 3.05 ± 3.00 (3 months) and 3.31 ± 2.77 (6 months). For rosemary-containing oil at 3 and 6 months: fresh 2.53 ± 3.13 and 2.73 ± 2.92; dried 3.39 ± 2.92 and 4.14 ± 2.92; essential oil 2.99 ± 2.89 and 3.44 ± 2.74; in the same column all share the letter a (no significant difference). The text states that bitterness was strongest in the oil with dried rosemary (4.14 ± 2.92) but not significant (p > .05). (For reference) Pungency increased during storage with dried rosemary (3.10 to 4.28). For essential oil the text writes 'significantly increased', but the Table 2 values, 3.46 ± 3.13 at 3 months and 3.43 ± 2.94 at 6 months, do not match in direction, so no increase or decrease is asserted. Pungency is a value for the irritant sensation, not bitterness.
Limitations: Unsupplemented olive oil also has bitterness, and the standard deviations are close to the means. The layout of the table was garbled, and the values were read from the table text on Europe PMC (the 4.14 for the dried oil and its non-significance were also confirmed in the text). There were 6 assessors. The meaning of n = 24 in the table is not asserted. The mismatch between the text and table on pungency is unresolved.
Source: How storage time affects sensory, chemical, and physical characteristics of flavored olive oil (Kacalova Tereza; Jarosova Alzbeta, 2023) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_sensory_response→ (the claim sentence above)
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-olive-oil-flavoring-bitter-ns / type: sensory / updated: 2026-10-25
rosemary shows the sensory response When oat and buckwheat cookies containing one of sage, mint, rosemary, oregano or thyme were evaluated by a 7-member trained panel, the cookies with herbs added (the trend across all 5 species) were reported to have less off-odor from oil and less bitter aftertaste. The text has no numerical value for the bitterness of rosemary alone (figure only). In the abstract the authors state that rosemary was most effective in forming a good aroma, but there was no significant difference in overall evaluation.preliminary

Scope: Oat and buckwheat cookies. Samples with 5 Lamiaceae herbs added and an unsupplemented control. Trained panel of 7.

Note: The bitter aftertaste scores are not given by herb in the text (Figure 1a only). The results are written as a trend across the herbs, and no value for rosemary alone was taken. Buckwheat itself is a material with bitterness, and the reduction in bitterness is a result relative to the bitterness of the control. Use it only within the range that the herbs did not add bitterness. It is buckwheat, not rosemary, that is the base of the bitterness, so it should not be weighted heavily as independent evidence for the bitterness of rosemary. It is the same experiment as on the sage page.

The abstract states: 'A decrease in bad oil aroma and bitter aftertaste was recognized by the sensory panel in cookies with herbs added. Addition of rosemary was most effective for the formation of a good aroma and high acceptance.' The sensory items included 'aftertaste: bitterness (the impression of bitterness remaining after swallowing)', and the evaluation was by a 7-member panel trained under ISO 8586:2014. The text states that hexanal (a green, grassy aroma) was highly correlated with the bitter aftertaste. The text states that there was no statistically significant difference in overall evaluation (Figure 1b) or texture. It also writes that the thyme and control cookies were the most similar in sensory characteristics.
Limitations: The bitterness scores by herb are in the figure only. The reduction in bitter aftertaste is a trend across the 5 herbs, and whether it decreased for every species cannot be said without looking at the figure.
Source: The Application of Lamiaceae Lindl. Promotes Aroma Compounds Formation, Sensory Properties, and Antioxidant Activity of Oat and Buckwheat-Based Cookies (Starowicz Małgorzata; Lelujka Ewa; Ciska Ewa; Lamparski Grzegorz; Sawicki Tomasz; Wronkowska Małgorzata, 2020) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_sensory_response→ (the claim sentence above)
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-cookies-bitter-aftertaste-reduced / type: sensory / updated: 2026-10-25
rosemary shows the sensory response Salami wrapped in a whey protein film containing rosemary extract had a significant difference in bitterness scores in a 12-member tasting panel (1 to 5 intensity scale) (Table 3, p < 0.05). The mean bitterness for the 4 samples with active film was C 2.58, D 3.25, G 2.67 and H 3.42, and for the 4 samples with control film A 2.00, B 1.92, E 1.92 and F 2.00. By the lettering, those significantly different from the control are only some (H from A, B, E and F, and D from B and E), and C and G do not differ significantly from the control. The panel rated this salami as 'a little unusual, bitter, and tasting of rosemary'.preliminary

Scope: Salami slices. Samples wrapped for 30 days and 90 days in whey protein film containing rosemary extract, and samples in control film. Tasting panel of 12 (1 to 5 intensity scale).

Note: The panel was not trained experts but 12 consumers selected through an online questionnaire (the authors also state that an evaluation by a larger trained panel is needed). The rosemary was extract that migrated from the film, not used as a spice, and the amount is unknown. The values in Table 3 were extracted and copied from the Europe PMC XML.

The text states that bitterness was the only descriptive item with a significant difference (Table 3), that the difference came from increased bitterness in samples wrapped in active film, and that rosemary extract gives food 'the strong bitterness characteristic of the plant'. The mean bitterness in Table 3 is A 2.00, B 1.92, C 2.58, D 3.25, E 1.92, F 2.00, G 2.67 and H 3.42 (p < 0.05). A, B, E and F are control film, and C, D, G and H are active film. By the lettering, H (b) differs significantly from A, B, E and F, and D (bd) from B and E, while C and G do not differ significantly from the control. The other 14 items had p = 0.06 to 0.99, with no significant difference. The panel rated the salami with active film as 'a little unusual, bitter, and tasting of rosemary'. The conclusion states that the film preserved the sensory characteristics of the salami and added 'slight bitterness' from the rosemary extract.
Limitations: The panel was small and untrained. Only some of the comparisons were significant (mainly D and H). C and G do not differ significantly from the control.
Source: Evaluation of the Oxidative Status of Salami Packaged with an Active Whey Protein Film (Andrade Mariana A.; Ribeiro-Santos Regiane; Guerra Manuela; Sanches-Silva Ana, 2019) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_sensory_response→ (the claim sentence above)
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-salami-film-bitter-higher / type: sensory / updated: 2026-10-25

How processing and cooking change it (3)

rosemary — perceived bitterness is affected by: For fermented thick cream with rosemary essential oil added, 0.13% received the highest overall rating combining taste, aroma and texture, while at 0.24% and 0.34% excessive aroma intensity, bitterness and olfactory saturation occurred and overall acceptance dropped.preliminary

Scope: Fermented thick cream. Rosemary essential oil at 0.068%, 0.13%, 0.24% and 0.34%. Panel of 20 (10 trained industry experts and 10 general consumers).

Note: The sensory evaluation is described only in the sentences of the text; the text gives no individual bitterness score, and the bitterness item and values in Figure 2 were not confirmed (the saved XML contains no image, and the figure legend describes satisfaction). The text's statement that bitterness and other attributes became excessive at 0.24% and 0.34% is retained. The panel had 20 members, half trained and half general. It does not state what in the rosemary essential oil the bitterness comes from. Essential oil differs in composition from extract.

The text states that at the lowest concentration (0.068%) aroma intensity was insufficient, and that 0.13% had the highest overall score across all items including taste, aroma, texture and appearance. At 0.24% and 0.34% it states that excessive aroma intensity, bitterness and olfactory saturation occurred and overall acceptance dropped. The evaluation items included sensory defects (such as bitterness and off-flavor), and an intensity scale from 0 (not perceived) to 5 (very strong) was used.
Limitations: The text gives no individual bitterness score, and the bitterness item and values in Figure 2 were not confirmed (the saved XML contains no image, and the figure legend describes satisfaction). The chemical composition of the essential oil is in a separate section and is not linked to bitterness.
Source: Rosemary Essential Oil as a Natural Preservative in Fermented Thick Cream: Effects on Microbial Stability, Physicochemical Properties, and Sensory Quality (Maaroufi Karima; Mhamdi Baya; Aouadhi Chedia; Hosni Karim; Sebai Hichem, 2026) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_perceived_bitterness_affected_by→ (the claim sentence above)
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-oil-cream-high-dose-bitterness / type: culinary / updated: 2026-10-25
rosemary — perceived bitterness is suppressed by: When using herbs with strong bitterness or a distinctive aroma, such as rosemary, in herbal tea, using a small amount and blending with other herbs makes it easier to drink.contextual

Scope: An explanatory article in the Journal of Cookery Science of Japan (suggestions for enjoying herbal tea). Thyme, rosemary and sage are given as examples.

Note: This is a suggestion in an explanatory article, not the result of an experiment. The original also touches on medicinal effects, but this laboratory does not adopt them as a claim. There is no measurement of bitterness intensity.

It states: 'When using thyme, rosemary, sage and the like (omitted) that have strong bitterness or a distinctive aroma, using these herbs in small amounts and blending them with the herbs above makes them easier to drink. If you want to add sweetness, add licorice (dried), stevia or honey.'
Limitations: A suggestion in an explanatory article, not a source of sensory evaluation. 'The herbs above' refers to the peppermint, lemon balm and others named in the preceding paragraph.
Source: ハーブの日常生活への利用―特にハーブティについて (山本 奈美; 田村 咲江, 2016) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_perceived_bitterness_suppressed_by→ (the claim sentence above)
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-herbtea-bitter-use-small-amount / type: culinary / updated: 2026-10-25
rosemary — sensory attribute: bitternesspreliminary

Scope: Descriptions by researchers of the taste of rosemary extract powder for food use (water-soluble and fat-soluble), and the criterion for off-flavor when put into food.

Note: The description is a sentence in the methods section of a paper, not a numerical evaluation by a panel. There are several papers from the same research group (Murcia), and they are not independent sources. It is a powder of extract, not the rosemary leaf itself. The 3 sources of evidence (Martínez-Tomé 2022, Cedeño-Pinos 2020 and 2023) are from the same research group and are not independent of each other.

Both the water-soluble (RWE) and fat-soluble (RLE) rosemary extracts are yellow-green powders with a strong taste described as 'herb, bitter, astringent', and RWE was more bitter and greener than RLE. The sensory validation criterion for the yogurt sauce included 'no rosemary off-flavor (herb, bitter, tingling irritation)', supervised by a 6-member trained panel.
Limitations: The text does not state who made the description. It is not a numerical evaluation. The subject of the description is unknown, and it is not a panel measurement. It is not independent of papers from the same research group (Murcia).
Source: Rosemary Extracts Improved the Antioxidant Status of Low-Fat Yoghurt Sauces Enriched with Inulin (Martínez-Tomé Magdalena; Cedeño-Pinos Cristina; Bañón Sancho; Jiménez-Monreal Antonia M., 2022) · full text checked
Context: The discussion states that multiple studies agree that deodorized rosemary extract gives rosemary, bitter and astringent off-flavors because of phenolic compounds, water-soluble components and residual essential oil, and the conclusion states that rosemary's herb, pungent and bitter off-flavors can be avoided at addition levels that can still show antioxidant activity.
Limitations: A summary of quotations from earlier studies; the paper's own measurement of bitterness is written up under a separate claim. The same paper is also used as evidence for another claim (the measurement of bitterness in jelly), so it is counted as 1 source in the count of independent sources.
Source: Assessment of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Extract as Antioxidant in Jelly Candies Made with Fructan Fibres and Stevia (Cedeño-Pinos Cristina; Martínez-Tomé Magdalena; Murcia María Antonia; Jordán María José; Bañón Sancho, 2020) · full text checked
Context: The discussion states that in an earlier jelly candy study, the off-flavor derived from rosemary (described as herb, astringent and bitter) was detected by trained tasters at 0.26 g of extract per 1 kg of base but not by ordinary consumers.
Limitations: Self-citation by the same research group. A restatement of the experiment in the 2020 paper, and not independent.
Source: Revalorisation of Sage (Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl) By-Product Extracts as a Source of Polyphenol Antioxidants for Novel Jelly Candies (Cedeño-Pinos Cristina; Martínez-Tomé Magdalena; Jordán María José; Bañón Sancho, 2023) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_sensory_attribute→ sensation-bitter
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-extract-powder-bitter-astringent-description / type: culinary / updated: 2026-10-25

Culture (1)

rosemary — sensory attribute: bitternesscontextual

Scope: Descriptions of the taste of rosemary stated in a Japanese review and in a household spice product description (a mildly bitter flavor; a flavor with pronounced mild bitterness).

Note: These are descriptions, not measurements of intensity. The taste descriptions in the review's table come from books (Kosai et al. 2008; Tabei 2000). The same table of the review states that rosemary has a component (cineole) that activates TRPM8, the receptor for cooling sensation, but that concerns cooling, not bitterness.

Table 1 describes the taste characteristics of rosemary as 'a strong aroma mixing wood, pine, flower, eucalyptus and clove notes, with a mildly bitter flavor' (sources: reference 7, Midori Kosai et al. 2008; reference 8, Mitsuo Tabei 2000). In the same table, laurel is described as 'slight bitterness' and thyme as 'piercing spicy bitterness'.
Limitations: The description of rosemary is secondary and is not a numerical sensory evaluation. The entry for the activating component (cineole) concerns the cooling receptor.
Source: スパイスの化学受容と機能性 (川端 二功, 2013) · full text checked
The description states: 'The distinctive appearance of the short, pine-needle-like leaves. The sweet fragrance and flavor with pronounced mild bitterness remain after the dish is finished.' The product description also says 'Adds a refreshing aroma and mild bitterness to vegetable dishes.' It records that Japanese users more often use it when they want to enjoy the flavor than to remove the smell of meat.
Limitations: This is a description in the House Foods rosemary product catalogue, not a source of sensory evaluation.
Source: ローズマリー｜洋風スパイス｜商品カタログ（ハウス食品） (ハウス食品株式会社) · full text checked
Show dataspice-rosemary —has_sensory_attribute→ sensation-bitter
claim: clm-thin-rosemary-descriptor-hororigai / type: cultural / updated: 2026-10-25

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