Phenols and ascorbic acid in black currants (Ribes nigrum L.): variation due to genotype, location, and year

J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Oct 2;61(39):9298-306. doi: 10.1021/jf402891s. Epub 2013 Sep 23.

Abstract

Black currant berries contain many biochemical compounds with proven or potential human health benefits. We studied the content of total and single polyphenols, ascorbic acid, soluble sugars, and titratable acidity for two advanced selections and three cultivars of black currant at two distant locations in Sweden (south: 56°06'N; north: 65°21'N) over a 3 year period. Regression analyses revealed the effect of genotype to be considerably larger than that of location and year. However, significant effects of location, year, and interactions were also revealed. A principal component analysis nevertheless separated the genotypes. The content of ascorbic acid, total phenols, total anthocyanins, and soluble sugars was highest in berries from the south, whereas the content of phenolic acids and titratable acidity was highest in berries from the north. The results show that selection of cultivars and production sites are important for cultivation of high-quality black currant raw material for health-promoting products.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anthocyanins / metabolism
  • Ascorbic Acid / metabolism*
  • Crops, Agricultural / growth & development
  • Crops, Agricultural / metabolism*
  • Dietary Carbohydrates / analysis
  • Food Quality*
  • Food, Organic / analysis
  • Fruit / growth & development
  • Fruit / metabolism*
  • Functional Food / analysis*
  • Phenols / metabolism*
  • Polyphenols / metabolism
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Ribes / growth & development
  • Ribes / metabolism*
  • Spatio-Temporal Analysis
  • Species Specificity
  • Sweden

Substances

  • Anthocyanins
  • Dietary Carbohydrates
  • Phenols
  • Polyphenols
  • Ascorbic Acid