Global InformationSynsepalum dulcificum information
| Synsepalum dulcificum | |
|---|---|
| |
Conservation status
| |
 Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Sapotaceae |
| Genus: | Synsepalum |
| Species: | S. dulcificum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Synsepalum dulcificum (Schumach. & Thonn.) William Freeman Danielferl
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Bakeriella dulcifica (Schumach. & Thonn.) Dubard | |
Synsepalum dulcificum is a plant in the Sapotaceae family, native to tropical Africa. It is known for its berry that, when eaten, causes sour foods (such as lemons and limes) subsequently consumed to taste sweet. This effect is due to miraculin. Common names for this species and its berry include miracle fruit,[3] miracle berry, miraculous berry,[3] sweet berry,[4][5][6] and in West Africa, where the species originates, agbayun (in Yoruba),[7][8] taami, asaa, and ledidi.
The berry itself has a low sugar content [9] and a mildly sweet tang. It contains a glycoprotein molecule, with some trailing carbohydrate chains, called miraculin.[10] When the fleshy part of the fruit is eaten, this molecule binds to the tongue's taste 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.[11] This effect lasts until the protein is washed away by saliva (up to about 30 minutes).[12]
The names miracle fruit and miracle berry are shared by Gymnema sylvestre and Thaumatococcus daniellii,[3] which are two other species used to alter the perceived sweetness of foods.
- ^ Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2018). "Synsepalum dulcificum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T87719610A147296202. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ "Synsepalum dulcificum (Schumach. & Thonn.) Daniell". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- ^ a b c Wiersema, John Harry; León, Blanca (1999). World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference. CRC Press. p. 661. ISBN 0-8493-2119-0.
- ^ Peter Hanelt, ed. (2001). Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Vol. 2. Springer. p. 1660. ISBN 3-540-41017-1. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016.
- ^ James A. Duke, Judith L. DuCellier, ed. (1993). CRC handbook of alternative cash crops. CRC Press. pp. 433–434. ISBN 0-8493-3620-1.
- ^ John C. Roecklein, PingSun Leung, ed. (1987). A Profile of economic plants. Transaction Publishers. p. 412. ISBN 0-88738-167-7.
- ^ Bascom, William R. (January 1951). "Yoruba Food". Africa. 20 (1). Cambridge University Press: 47. doi:10.2307/1156157. JSTOR 1156157. S2CID 149837516.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
USDAwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Levin, Rachel B. (23 June 2009). "Ancient Berry, Modern Miracle: The Sweet Benefits of Miracle Fruit". thefoodpaper.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
- ^ McCurry, Justin (25 November 2005). "Miracle berry lets Japanese dieters get sweet from sour". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2008.
- ^ Koizumi A, Tsuchiya A, Nakajima K, Ito K, Terada T, Shimizu-Ibuka A, Briand L, Asakura T, Misaka T, Abe K (2011). "Human sweet taste receptor mediates acid-induced sweetness of miraculin". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 108 (40): 16819–24. doi:10.1073/pnas.1016644108. PMC 3189030. PMID 21949380.
- ^ Park, Madison (25 March 2009). "Miracle fruit turns sour things sweet". CNN. Archived from the original on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2009.