Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.)
Blackcurrant is a small, dark purple-black berry with an intense aroma, growing on a compact shrub belonging to the family Grossulariaceae. Native to the northern regions of Europe and parts of Asia, it has gradually spread to many temperate areas where it finds ideal conditions. The shrub bears palmately lobed leaves, slightly toothed and pleasantly fragrant, releasing a characteristic herbaceous scent when gently crushed. The berries are clustered in small strings and have a juicy pulp with a complex taste: sweet in fully ripe fruits, but marked by a distinct tart and slightly astringent note that makes them instantly recognizable.
Inside the fruit, there are important components such as vitamin C, polyphenols, anthocyanins, and other micronutrients that contribute to its deep color and intense aroma. The fragrance of blackcurrant is often described as fresh, resinous, and subtly balsamic, with nuances reminiscent of forest undergrowth. In the kitchen it is used for jams, juices, syrups, sauces, desserts, and sometimes in savory dishes, where the contrast between sweetness and acidity creates intriguing combinations. The leaves themselves, known for their pungent perfume, are occasionally used to flavor infusions and traditional preparations.
Blackcurrant prefers cool climates, well-drained soils rich in organic matter, and a good level of sunlight without excessive heat. The shrub is relatively hardy and can be cultivated even in smaller gardens, provided it is protected from extreme temperatures. When the clusters reach full maturity, the berries develop an intense pigment and a soft, yielding texture. Harvesting must be carried out carefully, as the fruit is sensitive to pressure and can release its juice very easily.
The flavor of blackcurrant is bold and distinctive, not always immediately familiar, yet greatly appreciated by those who seek characterful fruits with a strong identity. The natural presence of organic acids enhances its lively taste profile and contributes to the refreshing sensation it leaves on the palate. Today, blackcurrant is considered a valuable fruit, closely tied to the culinary traditions of many European regions and to the memory of authentic flavors, capable of combining rustic charm and subtle elegance in a single small, dark berry.
Botanical Classification:
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Order: Saxifragales
- Family: Grossulariaceae
- Genus: Ribes
- Species: R. nigrum
Plant Characteristics:
Ribes nigrum is a deciduous shrub that typically grows between 1.5 to 2 meters in height. It has aromatic, serrated leaves and produces small, inconspicuous greenish flowers in spring. The fruit is a dark purple to black berry that clusters on the plant and is harvested in late summer. The berries are known for their tart flavor and are covered with a thin skin.
Chemical Composition and Structure:
The black currant fruit is rich in several bioactive compounds:
Vitamins: High in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and some B vitamins.
Minerals: Contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron.
Antioxidants: Rich in anthocyanins, flavonoids, and polyphenols, which contribute to its antioxidant properties.
Essential Fatty Acids: Contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, particularly in its seed oil.
Organic Acids: Includes citric acid and malic acid, giving the fruit its characteristic tartness.
How to Cultivate It:
- Climate: Prefers temperate climates with well-defined seasons. Tolerates cold winters and requires a period of cold to ensure proper fruiting.
- Soil: Thrives in well-drained, loamy soils with a slightly acidic to neutral pH.
- Sunlight: Requires full sun to partial shade for optimal fruit production.
- Watering: Regular watering is needed, especially during dry spells. Avoid waterlogging to prevent root rot.
- Pruning: Annual pruning is important to remove old wood, encourage new growth, and improve fruit yield.
Uses and Benefits:
- Culinary Uses: Black currants are used in a variety of culinary applications, including jams, jellies, juices, sauces, and desserts. They are also used in traditional dishes and beverages.
- Medicinal Uses: In traditional medicine, black currants are valued for their high antioxidant content and potential health benefits, including immune support and anti-inflammatory effects. They are also used to treat colds and flu.
- Cosmetic Uses: Extracts of black currant are used in skincare products for their antioxidant properties and potential anti-aging benefits.
INCI Functions:
Antioxidant agent. Ingredient that counteracts oxidative stress and prevents cell damage. Free radicals, pathological inflammatory processes, reactive nitrogen species and reactive oxygen species are responsible for the ageing process and many diseases caused by oxidation.
Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.
Applications:
- Food Industry: Used in the production of jams, jellies, beverages, and flavoring agents.
- Pharmaceutical Industry: Investigated for its potential in dietary supplements and health products due to its high antioxidant and nutrient content.
- Agriculture: Cultivated both commercially and in home gardens for its edible fruit.
Environmental and Safety Considerations:
- Pests and Diseases: Susceptible to pests such as aphids and diseases like powdery mildew and rust. Proper pest management is essential.
- Invasive Potential: Generally not considered invasive but can spread in favorable conditions.
- Safety: Generally safe for consumption. However, individuals with specific allergies to berries should be cautious.
Studies
The phytochemical composition includes unsaturated fatty acids, anthocyanidins, flavonols, pectins, invert sugar and polysaccharides, all widely used in food technology, but also in traditional medicine. In particular, anthocyanins, Quercetin. Kaempferol (1), ascorbic acid, Rutin, Vitamin C.
Anthocyanins are abundant in the fruits, while flavonoids in the leaves have an antioxidant activity and are therefore useful to counteract oxidation damage caused by free radicals.
Anthocyanins are used in the treatment of eye defects and eye diseases (2).
Flavonoids have a wide range of activities: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitoxic, antiseptic and antioxidant (3).
The phytochemical composition varies greatly depending on the color of the currant. In Blackcurrant, the total anthocyanin content ranges from 1260 to 2878mg/100g dry weight and the total flavonol content is about 43.6-89.9mg / 100g dry weight. In redcurrants, the content of anthocyanins and flavonols ranges from 138 to 462mg/100g dry weight (4).
Blackcurrant has shown gastroprotective relaxing activity on smooth gastrointestinal muscle in an in vitro study (5).
Blackcurrant studies
References______________________________________________
(1) Yang W, Alanne AL, Liu P, Kallio H, Yang B. Flavonol Glycosides in Currant Leaves and Variation with Growth Season, Growth Location, and Leaf Position. J Agric Food Chem. 2015 Oct 28;63(42):9269-76. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b04171. Epub 2015 Oct 14. PMID: 26448427.
Abstract. Flavonol glycosides (FG) were analyzed in the leaves of six currant cultivars (Ribes spp.) with HPLC-DAD, HPLC-MS/MS, and NMR. The average amounts of the 12 major, identified FG constituted 86-93% (9.6-14.1 mg/g DW) of the total of 27 FG found. Quercetin and kaempferol were the major aglycones with trace amounts of myricetin. Quercetin-3-O-(2,6-α-dirhamnopyranosyl-β-glucopyranoside), quercetin-3-O-(2-β-xylopyranosyl-6-α-rhamnopyranosyl-β-glucopyranoside), and kaempferol-3-O-(3,6-α-dirhamnopyranosyl-β-glucopyranoside) were identified for the first time in currant leaves and existed in a white currant cultivar 'White Dutch' only. Kaempferol-3-O-β-(6'-malonyl)glucopyranoside was also a new compound existing in abundance in five cultivars but not in the white one. The results show the primary importance of the genetic background of the cultivars. The content of malonylated FG of special importance in cardiovascular health decreased regularly during summer. Time of collection and leaf position were more prominent factors affecting the composition than were the year of harvest or the growth latitude. Randomly collected leaves differed in their FG profiles from those collected from the middle position of new branches.
(2) Matsumoto H, Kamm KE, Stull JT, Azuma H. Delphinidin-3-rutinoside relaxes the bovine ciliary smooth muscle through activation of ETB receptor and NO/cGMP pathway. Exp Eye Res. 2005 Mar;80(3):313-22. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2004.10.002.
Abstract. Delphinidin-3-rutinoside (D3R) is the major anthocyanin component in blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) fruits. We investigated the relaxation mechanism of D3R in bovine ciliary smooth muscle (CM). D3R at a concentration of 10(-5) m produced a sustained and progressive relaxation during the contraction induced by endothelin (ET)-1 in the bovine CM specimens. After the pre-treatment with D3R, the anthocyanin exerted an inhibitory effect on the ET-1-induced contraction with a concomitant increase in cyclic GMP production and decreased phosphorylation ratio of myosin light chain (RLC). The inhibitory effect of D3R was significantly attenuated in the presence of either N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (NOARG) as a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, carboxy-PTIO as a NO scavenger, ODQ as an inhibitor of guanylyl cyclase, or BQ788 as a selective ET(B) receptor antagonist. The atteuation with NOARG was reversed by the addition of excess L-arginine. However, iberiotoxin as a Ca2+-activated K+ channel inhibitor, propranolol as a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, and indomethacin as a cyclooxygenase inhibitor failed to modify the inhibitory effect of D3R. Scatchard plot analysis revealed that the [125I]-ET-1 binding site constituted a single population with Kd of 54.5+/-4.6 nm and maximum binding site (B(max)) of 168.4+/-25.4 fmol/mg protein in the ciliary epithelium (CE), and Kd of 141.7+/-18.0 nm and B(max) of 357.7+/-35.8 fmol/mg protein in CM. [125I]-ET-1 binding was completely displaced by BQ788 with K(i) values of 56.7+/-10.8 pm in CE and 93.4+/-23.3 pm in CM. Meanwhile, partial displacement (approximately 40%) was observed by BQ123 as a selective ET(A) receptor antagonist in both preparations. ET(B) receptor was predominant subtype in CE and CM, whereas kinetics of the binding was different in two preparations. These results suggest that D3R possibly stimulates ET(B) receptors to produce/release NO, and results in an inhibition of myosin RLC phosphorylation and/or acceleration of dephosphorylation, thereby causing relaxation and producing an inhibitory effect on the ET-1-induced contraction in the bovine CM.
(3) Movileanu L, Neagoe I, Flonta ML. Interaction of the antioxidant flavonoid quercetin with planar lipid bilayers. Int J Pharm. 2000 Sep 15;205(1-2):135-46. doi: 10.1016/s0378-5173(00)00503-2. PMID: 11000550.
Abstract. Our capacitance and conductance measurements on reconstituted planar lipid bilayers (BLM) suggest an insertion of the flavonoid quercetin (QCT) in the membranes, which is concentration- and pH-dependent. Interaction of the flavonoid with the membrane has no impact on either structure or integrity of the lipid bilayer. The QCT molecules penetrate the lipid bilayer by intercalating between the flexible acyl chains of the phospholipids, the deepest insertion occuring in acidic medium, when QCT is neutral and completely liposoluble. Results indicated that aggregation of QCT within the hydrophobic core is accompanied by an increase of the transmembrane conductance following an alteration of the hydrophobic barrier for small electrolytes. By contrast, within alkaline media where QCT is deprotonated, the reaction site of the flavonoid is restricted to the hydrophilic domain of the membrane. This significantly changes the double layer capacitance as the negatively charged QCT molecules become sandwiched between polar headgroups at the bilayer surface. At highest alkaline pH, the transmembrane conductance was not affected, since QCT did not perturb the molecular packing of the hydrocarbonic acyl chains of the phospholipids. Results also demonstrated that changes in physical properties of the lipid bilayers following interstitial QCT embedding within either the hydrophobic domain or the polar headgroup domain may be related to both its lipophilic nature and interactions with the electric dipole moments of the polar headgroups of phospholipids. Data also demonstrated that translocation of QCT in the polar part of the lipid bilayer, at physiological pH and salt conditions, may be correlated with its optimized radical scavenging activity. This paper discusses the significance of the free radical scavenging capacity and antioxidant efficiency of QCT.
(4) Mattila PH, Hellström J, Karhu S, Pihlava JM, Veteläinen M. High variability in flavonoid contents and composition between different North-European currant (Ribes spp.) varieties. Food Chem. 2016 Aug 1;204:14-20. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.02.056.
(5) Miladinovic B, Brankovic S, Kostic M, Milutinovic M, Kitic N, Šavikin K, Kitic D. Antispasmodic Effect of Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) Juice and Its Potential Use as Functional Food in Gastrointestinal Disorders. Med Princ Pract. 2018;27(2):179-185. doi: 10.1159/000487202. Epub 2018 Jan 28. PMID: 29402838; PMCID: PMC5968245.
Blackcurrant 
