Dried Blackcurrant

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Dried blackcurrant is the dehydrated fruit of Ribes nigrum, a flowering shrub native to temperate Europe and Asia. It is consumed as a snack and incorporated into cereals, baked goods, confectionery, and beverages, valued for its concentrated anthocyanins, vitamin C, flavonols, pectins, and organic acids.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Dried blackcurrant is a conventional whole food with a long history of safe consumption and no established ADI; no major regulatory body has identified safety concerns at normal dietary intake levels. Its polyphenol profile—dominated by cyanidin and delphinidin glucosides/rutinosides—is associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective effects across multiple clinical studies. The drying process concentrates natural sugars, warranting mindful consumption by individuals managing blood glucose, and its anthocyanins may exert mild antiplatelet activity relevant to those on anticoagulant therapy.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Dried blackcurrant is a traditional food in the EU with a documented history of safe consumption under EU General Food Law (Regulation EC No. 178/2002); it is not classified as a food additive, carries no E number, and is widely used in juices, jams, confectionery, and dietary supplements across member states.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Regulated as a conventional dried fruit ingredient under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. No specific food additive listing applies; permissible as a food ingredient in the general food supply under FSSAI's general fruit and food standards framework.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Dried blackcurrant is a conventional whole-food ingredient, not classified as a food additive; no specific FDA food additive regulation or GRAS petition applies. A federal cultivation ban (blackcurrant as a host for white pine blister rust) was lifted at the federal level in 1966; some individual US states retain separate agricultural cultivation restrictions unrelated to food safety.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Infants — Dried fruit poses a choking hazard for infants and young children under 12 months, and the concentrated natural sugar content is inappropriate for infants whose gut microbiome and metabolic regulation are still developing.

Diabetes — The drying process concentrates natural sugars significantly relative to fresh fruit; despite evidence that blackcurrant anthocyanins can moderate glycaemic response, the overall sugar load of dried blackcurrant warrants portion-controlled consumption by individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance.

Ibs — Dried blackcurrant is high in fermentable carbohydrates (fructose, sorbitol) and concentrated dietary fibre, which may trigger bloating, cramping, or altered bowel habits in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.

Kidney Disease — Dried blackcurrant contains elevated concentrations of potassium and oxalates relative to fresh fruit; high intake may be inappropriate for individuals with impaired renal function who require dietary potassium or oxalate restriction.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Blackcurrant Anthocyanins Improve Blood Lipids and Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Healthy Women in Menopause Transition without Changing Body Composition, 2023. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Biological activities, therapeutic potential, and pharmacological aspects of blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum L): A comprehensive review, 2023. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) lowers sugar-induced postprandial glycaemia independently and in a product with fermented quinoa: a randomised crossover trial, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Health-promoting effects of bioactive compounds in blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) Berries, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) Prevents Obesity-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Mice, 2019. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched5 citations