It is bright red in color, the size of a cherry but more oval, and grows on a shrub with the scientific name Synsepalum dulcificum , native to West Africa. It is nicknamed "magic" or "miraculous" fruit because, in addition to having a pleasant sweet taste, it contains a protein called miraculin that blocks the taste buds on the tongue, preventing them from identifying sour and bitter flavors .
For an interval of 30 to 60 minutes after eating this fruit, foods such as lemons, limes or vinegar do not taste acidic, but have an added sweetness. Due to its ability to transform sour taste into sweet , this product could be used to make natural sweeteners. And the use of the fruit to "camouflage" the bad taste of certain medicines and syrups is also being studied.
