Blossoming Flavors: Harnessing the Potential of Edible Flowers in the Food Industry

Floriculture and horticulture are now intertwined within the food industry, with flowers emerging as a promising avenue for fulfilling the escalating demand for innovative food options that offer both sensory appeal and health benefits. Flowers, rich in pigmentation, contain numerous phytochemicals that positively impact human health, including antioxidants that combat cellular aging. Edible flowers are widely used to enhance the appearance and flavor of various foods. Flowers like Rose, Hibiscus, Pansy, Nasturtium, and Rhododendron are popular choices for salads, cakes, garnishes, and flavorings. They are not only visually appealing but also offer nutritional benefits. They contain carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and phenolics, which contribute to their functional properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancerous, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, uricosuric, and antihaemolytic effects. The demand for functional foods and new tastes is increasing, creating significant opportunities for the commercial use of edible flowers in the food industry. However in India, challenges for edible flowers include limited awareness, lack of standardized cultivation practices, insufficient research on nutritional benefits, seasonal availability, and regulatory hurdles for commercialization, impacting their adoption in culinary and medicinal applications.