Why did the FDA ban Miracle Berries? The Controversial Story

December 19, 2025 •

4 min read

In 1974, the FDA classified miraculin, the taste-modifying protein found in miracle berries, as an unapproved food additive, a decision that abruptly halted its commercialization in the United States and left a legacy of controversy. This ruling prevented a pioneering company from bringing a natural, calorie-free sweetener to the market.

Quick Summary

The FDA denied miraculin food additive status in 1974, citing the need for expensive safety tests that the aspiring company could not afford, fueling persistent rumors of sugar industry interference.

Key Points

Miraculin as a Food Additive: The FDA did not ban miracle berries entirely, but specifically denied the use of its active protein, miraculin, as an approved food additive in 1974.
Miralin's Downfall: The FDA's decision forced the pioneering company, Miralin, into bankruptcy because it could not afford the extensive, mandated safety testing.
Sugar Industry Conspiracy: Widespread conspiracy theories emerged, suggesting the powerful sugar industry pressured the FDA to prevent competition from a natural, calorie-free sweetener.
Lingering Legal Paradox: Today, whole miracle berries and tablets are legal to sell and consume as dietary supplements, but adding miraculin as an ingredient to other foods in the U.S. is prohibited.
Different Global Approaches: Unlike the U.S., Japan has approved miraculin as a food additive, and the EU granted novel food status for dried miracle berry in 2021, allowing its use in food supplements.

The Rise and Fall of the Miracle Berry's Promise

The miracle berry (Synsepalum dulcificum), a fruit native to West Africa, has the remarkable ability to make sour foods taste sweet for a period of time after consumption. This unique effect is caused by a glycoprotein called miraculin, which binds to the sweet taste receptors on the tongue. For centuries, the fruit was used by local West African populations to sweeten traditional foods and beverages. This natural, non-caloric sweetener represented a massive opportunity, and in the early 1970s, a U.S. company called Miralin was poised to capitalize on it.

Miralin planned to market miraculin as a viable, natural alternative to sugar. The company conducted successful market tests, with early reports suggesting high potential, especially for those with diabetes. Miralin's founder, Robert Harvey, believed the fruit's long history of safe consumption qualified it for 'Generally Recognized As Safe' (GRAS) status, which would allow its use without extensive new testing. However, this path was suddenly and controversially blocked.

The FDA's Controversial 1974 Decision

On the eve of Miralin's product launch in 1974, the FDA made a startling reversal, classifying miraculin as a 'food additive'. This reclassification was a critical blow, as it legally required years of exhaustive and prohibitively expensive safety testing that Miralin could not afford. The company's prior positive relationship with the FDA seemed to vanish overnight, and Miralin was forced into bankruptcy. The FDA's reasoning was vague, failing to cite any specific new safety concerns and rejecting the GRAS status.

The Lingering Shadow of Alleged Corporate Pressure

The abrupt and unexplained shift in the FDA's stance immediately fueled conspiracy theories. Many pointed a finger at the powerful sugar and artificial sweetener industries, which stood to lose billions from a low-calorie, natural, and widely accessible sugar alternative. Reports of suspicious activity, including surveillance and a burglary at Miralin's offices where the company's FDA file was left open on the floor, added fuel to the fire. While the Sugar Association denies any involvement, the timing and circumstances of the FDA's decision have long raised doubts about the true motivations behind the ban on miraculin's use as an additive.

The Post-Ban Regulatory Landscape

Despite the 1974 ruling, the miracle berry itself was not banned outright. The distinction lies in how miraculin is marketed and used. Today, you can legally purchase whole miracle berries, freeze-dried powders, and tablets, which are sold as dietary supplements or novelty items. However, miraculin cannot be legally added as an ingredient to other foods and beverages. The ban effectively locked miraculin out of the mass-market food and beverage industry in the United States, cementing its status as a niche product. Later regulatory actions, such as the 2011 ban on a specific imported brand of miraculin tablets, have reinforced the FDA's position against its use as an undeclared food sweetener.

Comparison: Miracle Berry Regulation Across the Globe


Feature	United States (FDA)	European Union (EFSA)	Japan (Ministry of Health)
Miraculin as Additive	Denied (1974)	Novel Food Status (2021)	Approved as food additive
Whole Berries/Tablets	Legal as supplement	Approved for certain uses	Freely available
Commercial Viability	Highly Restricted	Growing, regulated use	Widespread
Key Restriction	Use as an ingredient	Pre-market approval needed	No major restrictions
GRAS Status	Not approved	Novel Food Assessment	Approved

Conclusion: An Unresolved Legacy

The FDA's 1974 decision is a complex chapter in the history of food regulation and public health. While the FDA's official position was rooted in regulatory procedure, the abrupt nature of the ruling and the simultaneous failure of a promising natural sweetener have left a legacy of doubt and speculation. The FDA maintains that it has never received sufficient evidence to approve miraculin as a food additive, but the circumstances surrounding Miralin's collapse continue to fuel the narrative of a powerful industry protecting its interests. For consumers, the legal status remains paradoxical: the berry itself is legal, but its potential to transform the food industry in the U.S. remains frozen in time due to a regulatory decision made half a century ago. A detailed history can be found in The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce, and Obsession by Adam Leith Gollner.

Navigating the Ban Today

Today, the miracle berry is a popular curiosity, often used in 'flavor-tripping' parties to experience its unique effects. Modern companies sell the berry in freeze-dried and tablet forms, primarily for novelty use or as a potential aid for taste distortion related to chemotherapy. While the commercial vision of a widespread, miraculin-infused food supply has not materialized in the U.S., the ongoing availability of the whole fruit keeps the story of its near-revolution alive, a tantalizing 'what if' for the natural food industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is not illegal to buy and eat whole miracle berries or processed tablets in the United States. The FDA's ban applies to the use of miraculin as an ingredient in other food products, not the consumption of the fruit itself.

The FDA did not cite a specific safety risk when it reclassified miraculin in 1974. It simply required extensive, costly testing to prove its safety as a food additive, a process the pioneering company, Miralin, was unable to finance.

While compelling circumstantial evidence and widespread conspiracy theories exist, definitive proof that the sugar industry directly influenced the FDA's decision has never been publicly verified. The Sugar Association has publicly denied any involvement.

The key difference is the FDA's regulatory classification. The whole berry or tablet is considered a dietary supplement, which has different regulations. A food product with added miraculin would be classified as an unauthorized food additive and is therefore prohibited.

The regulatory status varies globally. Japan has approved miraculin as a food additive, while the European Union granted novel food status for dried miracle berry in 2021, permitting its use in food supplements. This highlights a difference in international approaches to taste-modifying proteins.

Miralin and its legal counsel initially believed miraculin would qualify for 'Generally Recognized as Safe' (GRAS) status due to its long history of safe use in West Africa. However, the FDA's sudden reclassification as a 'food additive' in 1974 rejected this possibility, demanding a much more rigorous and expensive approval process.

Miraculin is a glycoprotein that binds to the sweet taste receptors on the tongue. At a neutral pH, it is inactive. However, when an acidic substance is consumed, the protons activate the miraculin, causing the taste receptors to signal 'sweet' instead of 'sour'.

Some studies and anecdotal reports suggest miraculin can be beneficial for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who experience taste distortion, such as a metallic taste. By modifying perception, it may improve the palatability of food and increase nutritional intake.

The FDA's position is unlikely to change without a new submission and costly safety study to approve miraculin as a food additive. In 2021, the FDA indicated that its 1977 determination on the substance does not apply under specific, new uses, but it remains a long and expensive process to achieve full approval for widespread use in foods.