Synsepalum is a genus of trees and shrubs in the family Sapotaceae (order Ericales), comprising approximately 37 accepted species native to the tropical lowlands of Africa. The genus was formally described in 1852.
Members of the genus are typically shrubs or small trees with dense foliage. The best-known species, Synsepalum dulcificum — commonly called miracle fruit or miracle berry — grows 1.8–4.5 m tall, bearing small red fruits roughly 2 cm long, each containing a single seed. Its white flowers are produced for many months of the year, and the plant is evergreen.
Synsepalum is remarkable for containing miraculin, a glycoprotein found in the fruit pulp of S. dulcificum. When consumed, miraculin binds to taste receptors on the tongue and causes sour foods to taste sweet for up to approximately 30 minutes, by activating sweet receptors at low pH. This taste-modifying property has attracted both culinary and scientific interest.
The genus is distributed across tropical West and Central Africa, with S. dulcificum originating in West Africa where it has been used for centuries by communities including the Yoruba people.
Etymology
The genus name Synsepalum derives from Greek roots. The common name "miracle fruit" (applied to S. dulcificum) reflects the perceived miraculous taste-altering property of the berries, which have been known to West African communities for centuries under names including àgbáyun (Yoruba), taami, asaa, and ledidi.
Distribution
Synsepalum is native to the tropical lowlands of Africa, with species distributed across West and Central Africa. Synsepalum dulcificum, the most widely studied species, originates in West Africa.
Ecology
Synsepalum dulcificum and related species grow in tropical environments with soils of low pH (around 4.5–5.8), high humidity, and frost-free conditions, tolerating both partial shade and full sun as well as periods of drought. In Africa, leaves of S. dulcificum are attacked by lepidopterous larvae and fruits by fruit fly larvae; the fungus Rigidoporus microporus has been recorded on this plant.
Cultivation
Synsepalum dulcificum prefers acidic soils (pH 4.5–5.8), a frost-free climate, high humidity, and partial shade, though it tolerates drought and full sun. Seeds germinate in 14–21 days. Plants first bear fruit after 3–4 years of growth and produce two crops per year, following the end of the rainy season. A spacing of approximately 4 m between plants is recommended.
Cultural Uses
In tropical West Africa, the fruit pulp of Synsepalum dulcificum has long been used to sweeten palm wine and improve the flavor of soured cornbread. The berry has been part of the diet of the Yoruba people, who call it àgbáyun. In the late 20th century, commercial interest in the West emerged for its potential as a low-calorie sweetener, including a pill form sold to US dieters in the 1970s. More recently, the berry has been featured in "flavor-tripping" tasting events where participants consume sour foods to experience the sweetness effect.
History
European documentation of miracle fruit dates to 1725, when the Chevalier des Marchais observed West African people chewing the berry before meals during an expedition. In the 1980s, commercial attempts to market the berry in the United States were halted after the FDA classified it as a food additive. The FDA imposed a ban in 2011 on importing S. dulcificum from Taiwan, citing it as an "illegal undeclared sweetener," though the ban does not apply to imports from other countries. In 2021, the EU granted approval for dried miracle berry to be sold commercially.
