Synsepalum dulcificum

Synsepalum dulcificumis a plant in theSapotaceaefamily, native totropicalAfrica. It is known for itsberrythat, when eaten, causessourfoods (such aslemonsandlimes) subsequently consumed to tastesweet. This effect is due tomiraculin.Common namesfor this species and its berry includemiracle fruit,miracle berry,miraculous berry,sweet berry,and inWest Africa, where the species originates,àgbáyun(inYoruba),taami,asaa, andledidi.
The berry itself has a low sugar contentand a mildly sweet tang. It contains aglycoproteinmolecule, with some trailingcarbohydratechains, calledmiraculin.When thefleshy part of the fruitis eaten, this molecule binds to the tongue'staste buds, causing sour foods to taste sweet. At neutral pH, miraculin binds and blocks the receptors, but at low pH (resulting from ingestion of sour foods) miraculin binds proteins and becomes able to activate the sweet receptors, resulting in the perception of sweet taste.This effect lasts until the protein is washed away by saliva (up to about 30 minutes).
The names miracle fruit and miracle berry are shared byGymnema sylvestreandThaumatococcus daniellii,which are two other species used to alter the perceived sweetness of foods.
The berry has been used in West Africa for a long time. It is a part of the diet of theYoruba people.Outsiders began learning this fruit since at least the 18th century, when a European explorer, theChevalier des Marchais, provided an account of its use there. Des Marchais, who was searchingWest Africafor many different fruits in a 1725 excursion, noticed that local people picked the berry from shrubs andchewedit before meals.
In the 1980s in the United States, an attempt was made to commercialize the fruit for its ability to mask non-sweet foods as sweet without a caloric cost, but became compromised when theFood and Drug Administrationclassified the berry as afood additiveand required evidence of safety.For a time in the 1970s, USdieterscould purchase a pill form of miraculin.This interest had a revival in food-tasting events at which tasters consume sour and bitter foods, such as lemons,radishes,pickles,hot sauce, andbeer, then experience the perceived change to sweetness with miraculin.
It is ashrubthat grows 1.8–4.5 m (5.9–14.8 ft) in height and has dense foliage.Its leaves are 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long, 2.0–3.7 cm (0.79–1.46 in) wide, and glabrous below. They are clustered at the ends of the branchlets. The flowers are white. It carries red, 2 cm (0.79 in) long fruits. Each fruit contains one seed.
The plant grows best in soils with apHas low as 4.5 to 5.8, in an environment free from frost and in partial shade with high humidity. It is tolerant of drought, full sunshine, and slopes.
The seeds need 14 to 21 days to germinate. A spacing of 4 m (13 ft) between plants is suggested.
The plants first bear fruit after growing about 3–4 years,and produce two crops per year, after the end of therainy season. Thisevergreenplant produces small, red berries, while white flowers are produced for many months of the year.
The seeds are about the size ofcoffee beans.
In Africa, leaves are attacked bylepidopterous larvae, and fruits are infested withlarvaeoffruit flies. The fungusRigidoporus microporushas been found on this plant.
Transgenic tomatoplants have been developed in research projects that producemiraculin.
In tropical West Africa, where this species originates, the fruitpulpis used to sweetenpalm wine.Historically, it was also used to improve the flavor of souredcornbread,but has been used as a sweetener and flavoring agent for diverse beverages and foods, such as beer,cocktails, vinegar, andpickles.
Since 2011, the United States FDA has imposed a ban on importingSynsepalum dulcificum(specifying 'miraculin') from its origin inTaiwan, declaring it as an "illegal undeclared sweetener". However the ban does not apply when it is imported from other countries.In 2021, the company Baïa Food Co. in Spain was granted to put Dried Miracle Berry on the market in the EU.