About
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
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
| 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
Research citations
- 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
