Introduction

     The açai palm tree is indigenous to the Brazilian Western Amazon Forest in the region of the Amazon River estuary, growing in the states of Pará, Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, and Mato Grosso.

The açai palm tree can reach up to 25 m in height. The trunk grows from 15 to 25 cm in diameter and forms into tall multi trunk trees. Its wood is used in rustic constructions around the areas in which it is found.  The fruit is a kind of cherry of 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter, violet, becoming nearly black when ripe, and generally used for the production of liqueurs, sweets, and juices.

                              
Its leaves, with a dark green color, reach a length of two meters, and are used in many ways ranging from roofing material to hats. The flowers bloom from September to December during the dry period, but can appear all year long. The pollen from the flowers is spread by native beetles.  Each palm tree produces three to four bunches of flowers, these bunches weigh between three to six kilos.  Fruits are harvested from the trees by cutting off bunches at the stem.

Açai juice is a true part of the culture in the state of Pará and Belém.  It is present in the customs, music, and artistic manifestations of the population. The juice is obtained through maceration of the fruit pulp, and is prepared in many ways; pure, mixed with flour, with tapioca flour, or sugar, it is consumed everyday by the people as a supplement to their daily meals.