  The quark flavor distribution functions of the octet baryons ($N$, $\Sigma$,
$\Xi$ and $\Lambda$) have been calculated in the chiral constituent quark model
($\chi$CQM). In particular, the valence and sea quark flavor distribution
functions of the scalar density matrix elements of octet baryons have been
computed explicitly. The implications of chiral symmetry breaking and SU(3)
symmetry breaking have been discussed in detail for the sea quark asymmetries,
fraction of a particular quark (antiquark) present in a baryon, flavor
structure functions and the Gottfried integral. The meson-baryon sigma terms
$\sigma_{\pi B}$, $\sigma_{K B}$, and $\sigma_{\eta B}$ for the case of $N$,
$\Sigma$ and $\Xi$ baryons have also been calculated. The results have been
compared with the recent available experimental observations for the case of
$N$ and how the future experiments for $\Sigma$, $\Xi$ and $\Lambda$ can
provide important constraints to describe the role of non-valence (sea) degrees
of freedom has been discussed.

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology