The Inextricable Link between Ecology and Taste: Traditional Plant Foraging in NW Balochistan, Pakistan

Cross-cultural food studies among various ethnic groups are crucial for understanding patterns of food preferences. The study recorded wild food plants (WFPs)gathered among Baloch, Brahui, Dehwar, Hazaras, and Pathans living in northwest Balochistan, Pakistan. A total of 68 taxa were recorded, of which only one-fifth were commonly used among the various groups. Hazaras and Pathans differed in their WFP foraging patterns while the other groups shared considerably more commonalities in the gathering of WFPs. The distinctiveness of Hazara-foraged ingredients can be explained by the fact that they still rely on foraging conducted over the border in the Afghan mountains, and thus their food knowledge is to some extent less "mixed" with that of the other groups. Slight differences in patterns of wild plant preferences are also shaped by the importance of certain plant tastes, especially sour and bitter ones, among Hazaras and Pathans. The complex mosaic patterns of WFP gathering among the researched groups indicate the prevalence of different ecological attitudes, as well as social customs. Future research trajectories will also have to consider the sensory acceptance of WFPs among groups and generations in order to articulate strategies for incorporating local food biocultural heritage into development programs.