There have been many instances where we believe what we see or taste or hear. That belief forms our existence on what is “real”. Sometimes, when that distorts, it can change our perception. This is not about psychedelic substances but in fact a small protein called miraculin. It is 24.6 kDa protein that is a dimer or tetramer. This is found in a berry plant called “Synsepalum dulcificum” or Miracle fruit. They taste like cranberries but they can alter the taste of sour to taste like sweet. Miraculin binds to sweet receptor and acts as an antagonist but at low pH it changes to become a sweet receptor agonist. So while it is bound on the receptor almost everything acidic would taste sweet.
This could be used to make soda’s that taste sweet for diabetics or give them a taste of sweet without sugar.
So if you want to make lemonade when life gives you lemons try “flavor-tripping” or perhaps enjoy cheese as cheese-cake.
This protein has been cloned into lettuce and tomato, so imagine eating differently tasting vegetables and increasing the salad repertoire.
If our receptors can be fooled by a small protein, wondering what other receptors in our gastrointestinal system also change our perception and digestion?
See the protein here: https://www.rcsb.org/structure/3IIR
