Miracle Berry
BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION
Family :
Sapotaceae
Genus :
Synsepalum
Species :
dulcificum (=Richardella dulcifica)
COMMON NAMES
Miracle Fruit; Miracle Berry; Sweet Berry
USES
Miraculin, a protein contained in Miracle Berries, is used as a sweetening agent.
DESCRIPTION
An evergreen shrub native to western Africa, berries of Synsepalum dulcificum contain a taste-modifying glycoprotein called miraculin that makes sour foods taste sweet. In 2008, miracle berries received a huge amount of press, associated with novel "flavor tripping" parties.
GENERAL INFORMATION #
RESEARCH & JOURNAL ARTICLES #
EXPERIENCES #
Miraculin Miraculously Disappears, by Earth
Definitely Helps With the Taste of Other Substances, by Nightnine
Submit a Report to our Experience Vaults
OFF-SITE RESOURCES
PRIMARY RESOURCES #
ARTICLES & WRITINGS #
Human sweet taste receptor mediates acid-induced sweetness of miraculin - Koizumi A, et al., PNAS. Sep 26, 2011
Finally, sampling miracle fruit tablets - Jacob Grier
The Miracle Berry - BBC News Magazine, Apr 28 2008
The sweet side of life, Protein Spotlight
MEDIA COVERAGE #
How A Small Red Fruit Performs Taste Miracles For 'Flavor Trippers'-- Wamu.org, Barclay E, Sep 27 2011
With miracle fruit, sour tastes seem sweet - LA Times, Jul 21 2008
A Tiny Fruit That Tricks the Tongue - NYT, May 28 2008
Miracle Mystery Fruit Turns Sourness Sweet - NPR, Mar 31 2007
To Make Lemons Into Lemonade, Try 'Miracle Fruit' - WSJ, Mar 30 2007,
Super Lettuce Turns Sour Sweet - Wired News, Dec 07 2006
Miracle berry lets Japanese dieters get sweet from sour - Guardian, Nov 25 2005
Mass production opportunities open up for natural sweetener - in-Pharma, Sep 29 2004
The pill that seriously kills your sweet tooth (Gymnema sylvestre, Sugar Destroyer)