is a plant native to tropical Africa.  It belongs to the Sapotaceae family  

and is scientifically classified under the  kingdom Plantae, in the order Ericales. Its  

other common names include the miraculous  berry, Miracle Fruit, and sweet berry.

The Miracle Berry is renowned for its unique  property of altering the taste of sour foods to  

sweet. This is possible due to a glycoprotein  molecule found in the berry called miraculin,  

which binds to the tongue's taste buds  when the fleshy part of the fruit is eaten.

At neutral pH, miraculin binds and blocks the  receptors, but when sour foods are consumed,  

resulting in a lower pH, miraculin binds  proteins and activates the sweet receptors,  

leading to the perception of a sweet taste.