Flower-powered foods hitting grocery aisle near you

Jasmine, chrysanthemum and rose-scented foods and beverages are becoming increasingly popular around the world, as the number of product launches featuring botanical ingredients rose by seven percent in the first 10 months in 2011 compared to the same period in the previous year, report market analysts.

According to Innova Market Insights, food manufacturers are turning towards garden-inspired flavors to meet consumer demand for products perceived as healthy and natural and also offer promises of new and unique flavors, reported food industry website Nutraceuticals World last week.

While floral flavors have long been used in the Far and Middle East, the trend is now becoming increasingly accepted by consumers in the West. Botanical ingredients are now four times as popular as they were five years ago, particularly in hot drinks like tea, soft drinks and confectionery, which accounted for 70 percent of all garden-inspired launches.

In tea, jasmine was the most popular botanical flavoring, while chrysanthemum is being used to flavor soft drinks. And the heady perfume of roses is also being seen in premium chocolate brands, along with lavender, violet, orange blossom, geranium and jasmine.

But it's not just in conventional applications like tea and beverages where consumers will see floral flavors, as alcohol, dairy, seasonings and spreads are also being infused with garden-inspired perfumes.