BLACKCURRANT

The Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) is a species of Ribes berry native to central and northern Europe and northern Asia. It is also known as French "cassis".

Blackcurrant

It is a small shrub growing to 1–2 m tall. The leaves are alternate, simple, 3-5 cm long and broad, and palmately lobed with five lobes, with a serrated margin. The flowers are 4–6 mm diameter, with five reddish-green to brownish petals; they are produced in racemes 5–10 cm long.

When not in fruit, the plant looks similar to the redcurrant shrub, distinguished by a strong fragrance from leaves and stems. The fruit is an edible berry 1 cm diameter, very dark purple in color, almost black, with a glossy skin and a persistent calyx at the apex, and containing several seeds dense in nutrients.

Plants from Asia are sometimes distinguished as a separate variety Ribes nigrum var. sibiricum, or even as a distinct species Ribes cyathiforme.

History

Currant and gooseberry output in 2005

United Kingdom

During World War II, most fruits rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, became almost impossible to obtain in the United Kingdom. Since blackcurrant berries are a rich source of vitamin C and blackcurrant plants are suitable for growing in the UK climate, blackcurrant cultivation was encouraged by the British government. Soon, the yield of the nation's crop increased significantly. From 1942 on, almost the entire British blackcurrant crop was made into blackcurrant syrup (or cordial) and distributed to the nation's children free, giving rise to the lasting popularity of blackcurrant flavorings in Britain.

United States

Blackcurrants were once popular in the United States as well, but became extremely rare in the 20th century after currant farming was banned in the early 1900s when blackcurrants, as a vector of white pine blister rust, were considered a threat to the U.S. logging industry.^[1] The federal ban on growing currants was shifted to individual States' jurisdiction in 1966, and was lifted in New York State in 2003 through the efforts of horticulturist Greg Quinn. As a result, currant growing is making a comeback in New York, Vermont, Connecticut and Oregon.^[2][3] However, several statewide bans still exist including Maine^{[citation needed]}, Massachusetts^{[citation needed]} and New Hampshire^[4]. Since the federal ban ceased currant production anywhere in the U.S., the fruit is not well-known and has yet to reach the popularity that it had in 19th century United States or that it currently has in Europe. Since blackcurrants are a strong source of antioxidants and vitamins, awareness and popularity are once again growing, with a number of consumer products entering the market.

Blackcurrants shrub

Nutrients and phytochemicals

currants, European black, raw Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 60 kcal 260 kJ
Carbohydrates 15.4 g Fat 0.4 g Protein 1.4 g Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.05 mg 4% Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.05 mg 3% Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.3 mg 2% Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.398 mg 8% Vitamin B6 0.066 mg 5% Vitamin C 181 mg 302% Calcium 55 mg 6% Iron 1.5 mg 12% Magnesium 24 mg 6% Phosphorus 59 mg 8% Potassium 322 mg 7% Zinc 0.27 mg 3%
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient database

The fruit has an extraordinarily high vitamin C content (302% of the Daily Value per 100g, table), good levels of potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B5, and a broad range of other essential nutrients (nutrient table, right).

Other phytochemicals in the fruit (polyphenols/anthocyanins) have been demonstrated in laboratory experiments with potential to inhibit inflammation mechanisms suspected to be at the origin of heart disease, cancer, microbial infections or neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease.^[5][6] Major anthocyanins in blackcurrant pomace are delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside^[7] which are retained in the juice concentrate among other yet unidentified polyphenols.^[8][9]

Blackcurrant seed oil is also rich in many nutrients, especially gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid.^[10]

Culinary uses

In the UK, blackcurrant cordial is often mixed with cider to make a drink called Cider & Black available at pubs. Adding a small amount of blackcurrant juice to Guinness is preferred by some to heighten the taste of the popular beer. Macerated blackcurrants are also the primary ingredient in the apéritif crème de cassis. Japan imports $3.6 million in New Zealand blackcurrants for uses as dietary supplements, snacks, functional food products and as quick-frozen (IQF) produce for culinary production as jams, jellies or preserves.^[11] In Russia, blackcurrant leaves are often used for flavoring tea. Sweetened vodka may also be infused with blackcurrant leaves or berries, making a deep yellowish-green beverage with a sharp flavor and astringent taste.

Blackcurrant berries have a distinctive sweet and sharp taste popular in jelly, jam, juice, ice cream, and liqueur (see Ribena). They are a common ingredient of Rote Grütze, a popular kissel-like dessert in German cuisine. In the UK, Europe and Commonwealth countries, some types of confectionery include a blackcurrant flavor, and in Belgium and the Netherlands, cassis is a favored currant soft drink. In the United States, Blackcurrant 'flavor' is rather rare in candies and jellies compared to UK Candies. Blackcurrant syrup mixed with white wine is called Kir or Kir Royale when mixed with Champagne.

Cooking

Other than being juiced and used in jellies, syrups, and cordials, blackcurrants are used in cooking because their astringent nature brings out flavor in many sauces, meat dishes and desserts. It was once thought that currants needed to be "topped and tailed" (the stalk and flower-remnants removed) before cooking. However, this is not the case as these parts are easily assimilated during the cooking process. If one prefers, the whole blackcurrant stem with fruit can be frozen, then shaken vigorously. The tops and tails are broken off and fruit can be separated easily.

Notes & References

1. ^ US Agricultural Research Service Note
2. ^ New York Times
3. ^ USDA Plant profile for Ribes nigrum L., European black currant[1]
4. ^ NH RSA 227-K, White Pine Blister Rust Control Areas[2]
5. ^ Heinonen M. Antioxidant activity and antimicrobial effect of berry phenolics--a Finnish perspective. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Jun;51(6):684-91.
6. ^ Seeram NP. Berry fruits: compositional elements, biochemical activities, and the impact of their intake on human health, performance, and disease. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Feb 13;56(3):627-9.
7. ^ Kapasakalidis PG, Rastall RA, Gordon MH. Extraction of polyphenols from processed black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) residues. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 May 31;54(11):4016-21.
8. ^ McDougall GJ, Gordon S, Brennan R, Stewart D. Anthocyanin-flavanol condensation products from black currant (Ribes nigrum L.). J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Oct 5;53(20):7878-85.
9. ^ Nielsen IL, Haren GR, Magnussen EL, Dragsted LO, Rasmussen SE. Quantification of anthocyanins in commercial black currant juices by simple high-performance liquid chromatography. Investigation of their pH stability and antioxidative potency. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Sep 24;51(20):5861-6.
10. ^ Traitler H, Winter H, Richli U, Ingenbleek Y. Characterization of gamma-linolenic acid in Ribes seed. Lipids. 1984 Dec;19(12):923-8. [3]
11. ^ New Nutrition Business, Japan makes a superfruit out of the humble blackcurrant, 2005