In This Article
Subscribe to Science Updates
Synsepalum dulcificum, aka "miracle fruit"
Miracle Fruit Makes Sour Taste Sweet
Eating Synsepalum dulcificum changes taste sensations for up to an hour or more, and has provoked popular flavor-tripping parties across the United States.
30-Second Summary
An article in the New York Times discussed the miracle fruit, a berry known more formally as Synsepalum dulcificum that “rewires the way the palate perceives sour flavors for an hour or so, rendering lemons as sweet as candy.”
So-called flavor-tripping parties are being held in New York, inviting guests to taste various foods, such as tequila and goat cheese, under the influence of this expensive, highly perishable berry.
Bartenders have been experimenting with miracle fruit cocktails, and diabetics have become interested in the fruit’s sugarless sweetening abilities.
According to the Wall Street Journal, it is legal to grow and sell miracle fruit in the U.S., but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not allow it to be used as an additive in foods.
After being found by French explorer Des Marchais in West Africa in 1725, miracle fruit got “lost in the shuffle of colonialism,” according to Gothamist. Although it was later tried by The U.S. Army and “several pharmaceutical giants,” the miracle fruit was rejected by the FDA in 1974, said the blog.
Miracle fruit can be ordered from private vendors, such as the Miracle Fruit Man, and is also available in powder form from a British purveyor called Miracle UK. Gardeners might consider adding the intriguing plant to their backyard plots.
So-called flavor-tripping parties are being held in New York, inviting guests to taste various foods, such as tequila and goat cheese, under the influence of this expensive, highly perishable berry.
Bartenders have been experimenting with miracle fruit cocktails, and diabetics have become interested in the fruit’s sugarless sweetening abilities.
According to the Wall Street Journal, it is legal to grow and sell miracle fruit in the U.S., but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not allow it to be used as an additive in foods.
After being found by French explorer Des Marchais in West Africa in 1725, miracle fruit got “lost in the shuffle of colonialism,” according to Gothamist. Although it was later tried by The U.S. Army and “several pharmaceutical giants,” the miracle fruit was rejected by the FDA in 1974, said the blog.
Miracle fruit can be ordered from private vendors, such as the Miracle Fruit Man, and is also available in powder form from a British purveyor called Miracle UK. Gardeners might consider adding the intriguing plant to their backyard plots.
Headline Links: Prepare your sweet tooth
The New York Times discusses the miracle fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum, which “rewires the way the palate perceives sour flavors for an hour or so, rendering lemons as sweet as candy.” So-called flavor tripping parties are being held, inviting guests to taste various foods, such as limes and Tabasco sauce, under the influence of this expensive, highly perishable berry.
Source: New York Times
In January 2007, the blog Gothamist said miracle fruit proved enormously popular with guests at an event in New York. The U.S. Army and “several pharmaceutical giants” tried the fruit decades ago, but it was mysteriously snubbed by the FDA in 1974, said the blog.
Source: Gothamist
The blog Thrillist has been touting miracle fruit parties since January 2008, calling the soirees “underground bacchanalias celebrating a rare West African berry."
Source: Thrillist
Background: The specifics of miracle fruit
In March 2007, an article in The Wall Street Journal said miracle fruit was “enjoying a small renaissance,” having been an underground item since a brief boom in the 1970s. According to the article, the berry is a hot item in Hawaii, Finland and Japan, and is sometimes given to chemotherapy patients to reduce the metallic taste caused by radiation treatments.
Source: Wall Street Journal
California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc. provides information on Synsepalum dulcificum, the miracle fruit, including description of the plant’s appearance and origins, and how to grow it.
Source: California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc
Related Topics: Miracle fruit books and parties
NPR interviewed Adam Leith Gollner, who was at work on a book explaining the history of miracle fruit in March 2007. The book has since been published and is listed in the Reference section, below.
Source: NPR
The Flavor Tripping Web site invites you to sign up for e-mail updates of upcoming miracle fruit tasting events, which have been held in New York and San Francisco.
Source: Flavor Tripping
Reference: Growing and purchasing miracle fruit
The Miracle Fruit Man is a Florida grower who has been cultivating miracle fruit for more than a decade. His supply is temporarily unavailable due to increased response from the recent New York Times article, but can typically be ordered online and shipped directly.
Source: Miracle Fruit Man
MiracleUK sells miraculin granules, a powdered version of miracle fruit, by the gram. The company ships international orders of up to 10 grams.
Source: MiracleUK
Logee’s Tropical Plants sells miracle fruit plants for home gardeners. The plants are in four-inch pots and grow best in a Hardy Zone 10 environment, but are currently sold out due to increased demand.
Source: Logee’s Tropical Plants
Adam Leith Gollner’s book “The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce, and Obsession,” with a chapter on miracle fruit, is available for sale in the Dulcinea Media Store.
Source: Dulcinea Media Store
Most Recent Beyond The Headlines
© 2012 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
