Paste and juice made from the Acai fruit have been implicated as the main cause of an outbreak of Chaga’s disease in Brazil. Chaga’s disease is an illness caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It causes fever, vomiting, aches, fatigue, diarrhea and a characteristic swelling of the right eye. If left untreated, the parasite may lie dormant for years before invading the heart, digestive system and the nervous system, causing severe weight loss, dementia and death through cardiac arrest.

Of course, there’s really no need to panic and toss out those bottles of Acai juice just yet. If the manufacturers of Acai juice are taking steps to kill parasites in the fruit before it gets into the juice, then the chances of you getting this parasite are small. There haven’t been any recorded cases of Chaga’s disease spread through Acai juice outside of Latin America (yet).

Furthermore, it’s not just Acai juice that can get contaminated with Trypansoma. In the past, Chaga’s disease has been associated with other beverages like sugar cane juice, and really, any fruit that comes from a region infested with Trypanosoma live may also be at risk.

However, this study points to the possibility of a potentially deadly parasitic disease being spread through Acai juice. It goes to show that even the hottest “miracle” fruits aren’t completely risk-free, so Acai juice fans, be aware of the risks, however small, and be sure you get your juice from a reputable manufacturer.