11 July: The berry that makes everything taste sweet: Cool things I learnt today

marmitelover2000
marmitelover2000 Online Community Member Posts: 38 Contributor
in Coffee lounge

[THIS IS NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT, PLEASE DON'T BUY OR EAT RANDOM BERRIES AS IT CAN BE HARMFUL]

After watching my dog to to eat a lemon yesterday and repetedly spitting it out. I came to admire her perseverance but realised I'd probably never be able to/ want to do the same.

Thanks to Miracle berries, It may be possible!

They can't walk on water or perform biblical level miracles. However, they are able to bind to our taste receptors and make sour things taste sweet.

They are found in Tropical West Africa ( Think Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon etc.. )

The magic chemical found in them was named Miraculin by a Japanese researcher ( not super inventive but I guess if the name wasn't taken…)

Due to factors like pests and fungus, they are now trying to synthesize this magic protein miraculin in a lab so it's easier to obtain.

At the moment they are trying to breed tomatoes with the compound.

It's also being researched for chemo patients in the US who have change in their taste( how they taste things, not how we taste them- eating people is frowned upon) .

In some countries is even used as a food additive. It's not been approved for use in the EU or USA, but if you manage to snag some goodies from Japan, Take a look and see as you might be eating the cousin of the Miracle berry!

Comments

  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,990 Championing

    I remember seeing this on QI and they ate lemons afterwards and said they were like really sweet oranges!!!

    Thanks for sharing!!!! 👍

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 1,651 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Another great post @marmitelover2000 😀

    I'm a very fussy eater so maybe these Miracle berries could help me!

  • marmitelover2000
    marmitelover2000 Online Community Member Posts: 38 Contributor

    hehe thanks :)

    I wonder what kind of foods we could try. (theoretically, i'm not getting any)

    would be funny to eat a lemon in front of someone. Might freak them out 😆

  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,990 Championing

    Are there any really healthy or nutritious foods that are not palatable to most humans?

    Maybe it would have a use there??

    I guess there aren't any foods like that because I suppose evolution makes us attracted to flavours that do us good?

  • marmitelover2000
    marmitelover2000 Online Community Member Posts: 38 Contributor
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/887496#Comment_887496

    That's a cool insight and makes a lot of sense 🤔

    I guess sour is most commonly paired with sweetness and humans looove the bioavailability of sugar.

    I guess milk can go sour but I'm definately not up for drinking off milk 🤢

  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,990 Championing

    That's a good point, I guess the reason we are repulsed by certain things (like off milk) is to keep us safe so it would maybe have to be something that's good for us but not natural?? 🤔

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