Brazil declares acai a national fruit to ward off 'biopiracy'

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Brazil has declared the acai berry a national fruit, a move to stamp its ownership on the popular superfood as concerns grow...

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Brazil has declared the acai berry a national fruit, a move to stamp its ownership on the popular "superfood" as concerns grow about foreign companies staking claims to the Amazon's biological riches.

Acai has been a savory staple in the Amazon for centuries, eaten as a thick paste alongside fish and manioc flour.

The dark purple berry went global in the early 2000s after it was reinvented as a sweet sorbet, often topped with granola and fruit, and marketed for its antioxidant-rich properties.

Acai's active ingredients piqued the interest of food and cosmetic companies worldwide.

In one case cited in parliamentary debates, a Japanese company trademarked the use of the name acai in 2003. It took Brazil four years to cancel the registration.