Beyond Acai: Brazilian Fruits Foster Exotic Opportunities

The dark purple berries from South Americas açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea) have been the food worlds darling for the past several years and have seen tremendous sales growth in the U.S. and throughout the world. But Brazils Amazon region produces other fruits with exotic appeal that may have star potential.

The success of açaí, a native of Brazils Amazon rainforest owes a great deal to its status as a superfruit. Proponents attribute the berry with a host of health benefits, including weight loss and heart and digestive health. The juice and pulp of açaí berries are frequently seen in juice blends, smoothies, sodas, and other beverages and have surfaced in everything from ice cream and yogurt to sauces. There is even an açaí spirit, called VeeV, which features the açaí berry as its main ingredient. The United States is the largest importer of the açaí berry.

Last year, boosted by global demand and the upsurge in export sales of açaí, the Brazilian government started the Amazon Flavours Brazil Project to promote the diversity and quality of fruits the Amazon region. The projects goal is to widen the commercialization of Amazon-grown foods. In addition to açaí about 120 different varieties of native fruits grow in the Brazilian rain forest, many of which Brazil would like to commercialize.

Currently, Brazil is the third largest fruit producer in the world, with more than 42 million tons produced last year. Fifteen types of fruit are commercially produced and processed in the Amazon rainforest, including , bacuri, taperebá, and camu-camu. More-familiar fruits are also produced in the region, such as pineapples, passion fruit, oranges, acerola and soursop (or graviola). The fruit production in the region is mainly based on gathering, a system of collecting and extracting the fruits done in a sustainable manner.

Cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) fruit has a creamy pulp with a flavor described as a mix of pineapple and chocolate. It is high in antioxidants and used throughout Brazil and Peru to make juice, ice cream, jam and tarts.

Bacuri (Platonia esculenta) fruit are yellow and have a leathery shell enclosing a sweet aromatic, creamy white flesh, which is usually divided into 6 sections, similar to mangosteen. It is high in vitamin C and other antioxidants and commonly used as a nectar, and is also used in ice creams, jellies, puree and canned sections.

Taperebá (Spondias lutea), also known as cajá is rarely eaten directly because the pulp is thin and often very sour, but it makes a flavorful sweetened juice and ice cream or frozen confections. The small orange or red fruit is rich in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins B and C.

Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) provides a reddish-colored fruit with an extremely high vitamin C content, plus antioxidant flavonoids. The flavorful, but acidic, juice makes an excellent flavoring for ice creams and can be used in juices or mixed with other fruits for fruit beverages.

To promote these lesser-known fruits, Amazon Flavours Brazil Project has created a new American website, which includes recipes for some of Brazils native fruits and nuts. To increase awareness, the project has also been conducting product sampling at major events, including the Indianapolis 500 in May and at the World Cup soccer tournament in South Africa this summer.