Sensory and chemical characterization of chestnuts processed in different methods using instrumental analyses and the Check-all-that-apply method

•Sensory quality and volatile profiles of chestnuts with different processing approaches were studied.•A sensory chestnut lexicon with different processing approaches was established.•GC×GC-TOF-MS detected 116 volatile compounds.•N2 and vacuum-packaged chestnuts evoked more positive emotions in consumers. Chestnuts are known for their unique sensory characteristics and nutritional value. However, the changes in their sensory attributes after processing remain unclear. This study used instrumental analysis and sensory evaluation combined with multivariate statistical analysis to investigate the effect of packaging and thermal sterilization procedures on the sensory characteristics of chestnuts. The results showed that the significant variations (p