Description of Technical Cooperation

Flavour is a critical idea in the sensory recognition and customer judgment. It is a mixture of fragrance and tastes. In plant base food, beverages and other substrates, flavor and aroma are strongly associated, independent of the taste perception. The specific type of flavor in food and beverages are mainly due to the presence of various secondary metabolites in their different such as flowers, fruits, leaves, bark, and seeds etc. Different types of phytochemicals, specifically polyphenolics, alkaloids, organic esters and carotenoids are the key contributors in plant based natural flavours. In plant-based extracts, these metabolites act as chemical triggers to accelerate the aroma and flavor receptors in the buccal cavity of consumers. The extracts of naturally growing plants are rich in aromatic and phenolic compounds that impart the distinctive flavor to plant-based products. In addition to distinctive flavours, various phytochemicals in natural extracts possess significant health benefits for consumers. Such as these extracts are used as natural antioxidant, antimicrobial, and therapeutic agents. Therefore, natural flavours extracted from plant species are attracting so much to consumers, and their demand is increasing rapidly in different food, beverages, and cigarette industries.

Himalayan region of Pakistan is rich in floral and faunal diversity. Various types of medicinal and aromatic plants are contributing significantly in the traditional health care systems and traditional food systems in the mountains of Himalayas. Local communities in the Himalayan region of Pakistan are using aromatic plants as medicines and in making traditional but most delicious cuisines since long time. However, these plants species have rarely been explored yet, specifically in context of their functional properties and application in food and beverage industries. Consequently, this technical agreement will be focused on the extraction of flavouring compounds from different aromatic plants growing naturally in different areas of Himalayan region of Pakistan. This agreement will be helpful in the screening of plant resources with significant flavouring potential. In addition, natural flavours from wild plant resources will be of commercial importance, specifically for various food and beverages industries.