Miracle Fruit

[annecros]

Now, I can think of a million ways to use this:

Click here for article on Miracle Fruit

Scientists say a protein in the fruit works by binding to taste buds and altering the tongue's so-called sweet receptors to activate when sour foods are eaten. A French explorer known as the Chevalier des Marchais first encountered the effects in 1725 somewhere in West Africa, says Adam Gollner, who is writing a book about miracle fruit. The chevalier saw villagers eat the berry before consuming gruel and palm wine, so he gave it a try himself.

In 1852, a British surgeon described the fruit in a pharmaceutical journal as a "miraculous" berry. In the early 20th century, a renowned botanist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, David Fairchild, was the first person to bring miracle fruit from Africa to the U.S., says Linda Bartoshuk, a professor at the Center for Smell and Taste at the University of Florida.

Lloyd Beidler, a biology professor at Florida State University, and a colleague isolated the active protein in the berry in 1968, which Dutch researchers doing similar work dubbed "miraculin." Around the same time, Ms. Bartoshuk was doing research on the berry for the U.S. Army, which never went as far as adding it to rations. She remembers eating a bologna sandwich with mustard at the laboratory's cafeteria during the testing. It tasted "like a sweet."

This is exciting! Has anyone here ever had the opportunity to try these? I wonder if I could get my hands on a few and have hubby play guinea pig?

[hummingbirdkiss]

I want to try these!!!

[Corinna Dunne]

In Japan, it's freeze-dried and canned or sold in tablets. Some restaurants there have featured it as an avant-garde dessert, including at Tokyo's Mandarin Oriental hotel. So has the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach, Fla., where two miracle-fruit shrubs are planted in the hotel's garden.

It sounds like the Japanese are ahead of all of us on this one.

I thought “miracle fruit” was a wishy-washy name until I read the article… this berry sounds like it could be the answer to a heck of a lot of dreams. There’s no mention of calories, so I’m presuming that this is the true miracle bit!

[Bonnie Ruth]

Could I ever use some of this! As a result of an inner ear surgery 20 years ago, I have a lingering taste disorder that amplifies sour flavors. Even smelling a lemon produces an overwhelming sour lemon flavor in my mouth. I have to be very careful with what I eat, which is frustrating to a food lover; a lot of interesting foods have a sour component. If I could just modify that with one of these tablets, voila! How do we find out about getting some?

[annecros]

Could I ever use some of this!  As a result of an inner ear surgery 20 years ago, I have a lingering taste disorder that amplifies sour flavors.  Even smelling a lemon produces an overwhelming sour lemon flavor in my mouth.  I have to be very careful with what I eat, which is frustrating to a food lover; a lot of interesting foods have a sour component.  If I could just modify that with one of these tablets, voila!  How do we find out about getting some?

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Err, maybe some of our Japanese friends can help us out here:

Click for Japanese site that sells

There are growers in my area. I may need to take a foraging trip this weekend.

This is all too interesting.

[chefAZ]

Could I ever use some of this!  As a result of an inner ear surgery 20 years ago, I have a lingering taste disorder that amplifies sour flavors.  Even smelling a lemon produces an overwhelming sour lemon flavor in my mouth.  I have to be very careful with what I eat, which is frustrating to a food lover; a lot of interesting foods have a sour component.  If I could just modify that with one of these tablets, voila!  How do we find out about getting some?

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Err, maybe some of our Japanese friends can help us out here:

Click for Japanese site that sells

There are growers in my area. I may need to take a foraging trip this weekend.

This is all too interesting.

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anne,

i would love to know who grows these fruits in south florida, can u give us a name/location of the growers? thanks

[rmillman]

I got two different varieties of plants here:

http://www.toptropicals.com/

Waiting for them to fruit now.

I have tried one of the "pills" sold in Japan and it is really interesting and does indeed mess with taste recognition and association. Sometimes in a good way other times not so pleasant. Sour becomes sweet, sweet becomes bland, salt and savory can be interesting or blah depending on what it is combined with.

I think the fun way to use them is in a dessert competition where any subsquent entries cold face some serious flavor problems.

[annecros]

I got two different varieties of plants here:

http://www.toptropicals.com/

Waiting for them to fruit now. 

I have tried one of the "pills" sold in Japan and it is really interesting and does indeed mess with taste recognition and association.  Sometimes in a good way other times not so pleasant. Sour becomes sweet, sweet becomes bland, salt and savory can be interesting or blah depending on what it is combined with.

I think the fun way to use them is in a dessert competition where any subsquent entries cold face some serious flavor problems.

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Are you growing them in containers? My soil is neutral to base PH, so short of dumping an acid fertilizer on them, I don't think I could successfully grow them in the ground, even though we are frost free.

[Bonnie Ruth]

Err, maybe some of our Japanese friends can help us out here:

Click for Japanese site that sells

There are growers in my area. I may need to take a foraging trip this weekend.

This is all too interesting.

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[tammylc]

When I toured the Fruit and Spice park in Miami, the last thing we got to sample on the tour was a red lime, before and after a miracle fruit. However, the next stop on my tour that afternoon was a tropical fruit winery, and then dinner, so I didn't want to mess with my tastebuds. The park guide let me take my miracle fruit with me, but then I forgot about it in my purse and it got all shriveled up so I didn't get to try it out. I'm so bummed to have missed it. But I have a friend who's been talking about ordering some and having a tasting party.

[Bonnie Ruth]

When I toured the Fruit and Spice park in Miami, the last thing we got to sample on the tour was a red lime, before and after a miracle fruit.  However, the next stop on my tour that afternoon was a tropical fruit winery, and then dinner, so I didn't want to mess with my tastebuds.  The park guide let me take my miracle fruit with me, but then I forgot about it in my purse and it got all shriveled up so I didn't get to try it out.  I'm so bummed to have missed it.  But I have a friend who's been talking about ordering some and having a tasting party.

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Okay, thanks to Anne Crosby, I was able to speak today with Curtis, a miracle fruit grower in Ft. Lauderdale (954.587.3766 - his web site is miraclefruitman, but I couldn't get into it). He says he is the only grower selling this fruit. He sells trees, fruit, and seeds. The seeds can be grown in a pot, indoors or out. The tree bears year-round; he has one 10-year-old tree that produces 1,000 fruit at one bearing (every 4 months). Each fruit contains one seed, and each seed makes one tree. The fruit is very perishable but can be kept 5 days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer. If you want to use a seed to grow a tree, remove it before putting the fruit in the fridge. The seeds are grown in a 50/50 perlite and peat moss mix. I have been thinking this over, and although I did order some of the fruit ($1.80 each, with a minimum order of 20), I am very curious to see whether it results in a different set of problems. One doctor at a taste and smell research center told me that probably what I have is not really an amplification of sour, but a suppression of something else that should modify the sour. So what other flavors might be amplified if sour is supressed? From the information on here, it appears this activates sweet receptors rather than suppressing sour, but the end result seems the same. I might be surprised how many foods depend on some sour flavor.

[annecros]

  I have been thinking this over, and although I did order some of the fruit ($1.80 each, with a minimum order of 20), I am very curious to see whether it results in a different set of problems.  One doctor at a taste and smell research center told me that probably what I have is not really an amplification of sour, but a suppression of something else that should modify the sour.  So what other flavors might be amplified if sour is supressed?  From the information on here, it appears this activates sweet receptors rather than suppressing sour, but the end result seems the same.  I might be surprised how many foods depend on some sour flavor.

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I got into his web site here:

Click for Miracle Fruit website

I'm glad you got into touch with him. I think I need to take a field trip (maybe this weekend) to check him out in person.

It is hard for me to imagine what it will do! Let us know what your results are after you have tried them. I may pick up a plant just to have one around.

Wanted to add a link to this article:

Click here for "The Old Sweetie Lime Trick"

It has more general information on the fruit than I have seen before.

[Kouign Aman]

I wonder if there is a similar protein in artichokes. Everything seems to taste sweet after eating them, especially after eating the bottoms.

Fascinating. And that's a diabolical idea for the dessert contest!

editted to add:

I'd like to know more about why the FDA didn't license this stuff.

There is at least one mis-statement in the "Sweet Lime" article.

The author claims "Glycoproteins are known to be completely innocent of any toxicity and are readily metabolized by the body."

Just as a reality check - ricin is a naturally produced glycoprotein rather famous for its very high degree of toxicity; its very nasty and poisonous indeed.

Edited April 11, 2007 by Kouign Aman (log)

[chappie]

The seeds can be grown in a pot, indoors or out.  The tree bears year-round; he has one 10-year-old tree that produces 1,000 fruit at one bearing (every 4 months).  Each fruit contains one seed, and each seed makes one tree.  The fruit is very perishable but can be kept 5 days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

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A couple observations: First, I saw a "Good Eats" episode last night where Alton Brown flash-froze fresh strawberries solid by mixing them in a cooler with broken-up dry ice. I wonder if this would work for miracle fruits, thereby extending their freezer life.

Second, where can they be grown? I live in Maryland and am guessing they can't be grown here without a greenhouse. What a shame. If they're going for $1.50 or so a pop and some trees are popping out thousands... I could at least see them selling well at a farmer's market, with demonstrations available.

I really want to try one.

[Bonnie Ruth]

The seeds can be grown in a pot, indoors or out.  The tree bears year-round; he has one 10-year-old tree that produces 1,000 fruit at one bearing (every 4 months).  Each fruit contains one seed, and each seed makes one tree.  The fruit is very perishable but can be kept 5 days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

←

A couple observations: First, I saw a "Good Eats" episode last night where Alton Brown flash-froze fresh strawberries solid by mixing them in a cooler with broken-up dry ice. I wonder if this would work for miracle fruits, thereby extending their freezer life.

Second, where can they be grown? I live in Maryland and am guessing they can't be grown here without a greenhouse. What a shame. If they're going for $1.50 or so a pop and some trees are popping out thousands... I could at least see them selling well at a farmer's market, with demonstrations available.

I really want to try one.

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The dry ice flash freezing is a fantastic idea. If it works for strawberries, I can't imagine why it wouldn't for any other fruit. I talked with him about whether they can be grown in Colorado, and he seemed to think they could just be kept inside in a pot if necessary. We'll see about that; I've never been able to grow anything inside here that really needed sun.

It will be at least 2 weeks before my order can be filled. I will post immediately when I have tried it.

[chappie]

I can't let this thread fade into the forgotten realms.

Told Mom about the miracle fruits today, and she too is curious. Could they be grown for profit in a greenhouse?

We brainstormed various foods and drinks that might go well with this effect (which still exists for us only in the imagination): cider vinegar, sauerkraut, rose hips, pure vitamin C tablets?

But the best comment came when she gasped and said, "Buttermilk! Buttermilk would taste like pudding!"

[annecros]

I can't let this thread fade into the forgotten realms.

Told Mom about the miracle fruits today, and she too is curious. Could they be grown for profit in a greenhouse?

We brainstormed various foods and drinks that might go well with this effect (which still exists for us only in the imagination): cider vinegar, sauerkraut, rose hips, pure vitamin C tablets?

But the best comment came when she gasped and said, "Buttermilk! Buttermilk would taste like pudding!"

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The first thing that came to mind for me was a Margarita. Just tequila, triple sec and lime juice - sugar free. Then, my mind naturally drifted to a sugar free Mojito...

I really have to go by and see that guy. I did speak to Curtis on the phone, and he has thousands of plants that he is growing - but he has in fact quit selling plants as it was infringing upon his inventory. He says they are easy to grow, but slow growing. Thirty days to germination, then three years from seed to fruit. It would take quite an investment of time and space.

[Bonnie Ruth]

I can't let this thread fade into the forgotten realms.

Told Mom about the miracle fruits today, and she too is curious. Could they be grown for profit in a greenhouse?

We brainstormed various foods and drinks that might go well with this effect (which still exists for us only in the imagination): cider vinegar, sauerkraut, rose hips, pure vitamin C tablets?

But the best comment came when she gasped and said, "Buttermilk! Buttermilk would taste like pudding!"

←

The first thing that came to mind for me was a Margarita. Just tequila, triple sec and lime juice - sugar free. Then, my mind naturally drifted to a sugar free Mojito...

I really have to go by and see that guy. I did speak to Curtis on the phone, and he has thousands of plants that he is growing - but he has in fact quit selling plants as it was infringing upon his inventory. He says they are easy to grow, but slow growing. Thirty days to germination, then three years from seed to fruit. It would take quite an investment of time and space.

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I am disturbed to hear Curtis isn't selling the plants anymore, or that they take three years from seed to fruit. He didn't tell me either of those things. I hope my fruit order comes soon.

[annecros]

I can't let this thread fade into the forgotten realms.

Told Mom about the miracle fruits today, and she too is curious. Could they be grown for profit in a greenhouse?

We brainstormed various foods and drinks that might go well with this effect (which still exists for us only in the imagination): cider vinegar, sauerkraut, rose hips, pure vitamin C tablets?

But the best comment came when she gasped and said, "Buttermilk! Buttermilk would taste like pudding!"

←

The first thing that came to mind for me was a Margarita. Just tequila, triple sec and lime juice - sugar free. Then, my mind naturally drifted to a sugar free Mojito...

I really have to go by and see that guy. I did speak to Curtis on the phone, and he has thousands of plants that he is growing - but he has in fact quit selling plants as it was infringing upon his inventory. He says they are easy to grow, but slow growing. Thirty days to germination, then three years from seed to fruit. It would take quite an investment of time and space.

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I am disturbed to hear Curtis isn't selling the plants anymore, or that they take three years from seed to fruit. He didn't tell me either of those things. I hope my fruit order comes soon.

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I dug around, and did find a few more sources for the plants:

Top Tropicals

Logee's

Flora Exotica

Pricey, but available.

[Bonnie Ruth]

There is an article in the May 2007 issue of Popular Science about chemicals that have been developed at the biotechnology startup Senomyx in San Diego that alter taste receptors and trick the brain into thinking that a food tastes better than it really does, so it won't require as much sugar and salt. They have also developed bitter blockers to make vegetables taste better, especially to children. These are currently in tests with Coca Cola and Nestles, among others; the first products containing Senomyx's "savory flavor enhancers"could debut as soon as this month. Labels will not show the ingredients because their quantities don't warrant reporting, but the article says to watch nutrition labels for a drop in MSG. It seems like there would be a drop in sugar and salt too. I don't know how to post a link, or even if this article is available online. If I can figure out how to scan it and post it, I will, but I've already told you most of it.

[torakris]

I was just given knowledge of this thread. I have yet to try miracle fruit in any form yet, I heard a lot about it about a year ago here in Japan but not much recently.

If anyone is interested in tablets or other forms, the exchange rate in currently in your favor. Send me a PM and I will see what I can do for you.

[skidude72]

I have tried to get miracle fruit for at least 7 months. i had a plant but no matter what i did i couldnt keep it healthy and it died. as for a tidbit of information i remeber reading somewhere that africa is the fruits native country and in the late 70's early 80's a large corperation (which i believe owned sweet and low) slashed and burned thousands of these plants.

[annecros]

I really wish someone would take one for the team, try it, and chime in and let us know what it's like.

Of course, I have no excuse with the grower in the same county and very nice. Was going to make hubby guinea pig.

By this weekend, do or die!

[Kouign Aman]

Cool! And when you are doing/dying, would you please ask about how the plants handle SoCal coastal conditions (medium hot, cool down to the 40s, dry & windy alternating with fog)? I've got space in the yard for a shrub, but it needs to be happy here. Its not gonna get babied for long. It would be such a fun thing to have!

[annecros]

Cool! And when you are doing/dying, would you please ask about how the plants handle SoCal coastal conditions (medium hot, cool down to the 40s, dry & windy alternating with fog)? I've got space in the yard for a shrub, but it needs to be happy here. Its not gonna get babied for long.  It would be such a fun thing to have!

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Will do. I don't think it will kill me, but I think I have hubby ready to try first! Have him all softened up, and think I have turned the corner to "excited to do it" with him.

I love him.

I need to do this.

Sheesh, life is short, right?