Acai berries grow in clusters of 700 to 900 fruit.  Each is about 1 inch in diameter and has a single large seed.  While acai berries resemble grapes, they produce far less pulp; in fact, about 80% of each berry is seed.  However, the way that they are prepared and served is similar. 

Traditionally, the berries were harvested by hand, though this has changed as the demand for the popular fruit has increased.  Acai palms are now farmed and mass-produced to keep up with the health-conscious fan base they have attracted.

In a study of three traditional Caboclo populations in the Amazon region of Brazil, açaí palm was described as the most important plant species because the fruit makes up such a major component of diet (up to 42% of the total food intake by weight) and is economically valuable in the region (Murrieta et al., 1999).  It is still prepared in the traditional way in much of Brazil; the pulp and juice are served in cuias with tapioca and sugar, or alone chilled in a bowl.  Another traditional method of preparation was to combine the juice with a starchy root called manioc to create a purple porridge.

Acai berries are first soaked in water to soften their hard outer shell.  Each fruit is then squeezed and strained to get rid of the seed, leaving a creamy, oily liquid.  Acai pulp and juice must be kept refrigerated to maintain its nutritional integrity.  The anthocyanins in the juice, which are responsible for producing the antioxidants, degrade quickly when exposed to heat.  This liquid can be used in a number of different ways: