Black currant
Black currant suppliers and sourcing guide
Black currant is Ribes nigrum, a shrub grown mainly in Poland, the UK, New Zealand and Scandinavia. The trade covers several products: juice concentrate and freeze-dried or spray-dried fruit powder, fruit extracts standardized to anthocyanins by HPLC, cold-pressed seed oil, and bud and leaf extracts used in flavorings. Each has its own spec, so buyers name the part and form.
- Category
- Botanicals and mushrooms
- Also known as
- Ribes nigrum · blackcurrant · cassis · black currant seed oil
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of black currant
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Juice concentrate
Pressed and concentrated juice sold by Brix for drinks and flavors.
Fruit powder
Freeze-dried or spray-dried fruit or juice, often on a carrier for spray-dried grades.
Anthocyanin extract
Fruit extract standardized to anthocyanins (often 25% or more) by HPLC or pH-differential UV.
Seed oil
Cold-pressed or CO2-extracted seed oil sold by fatty acid profile, including gamma-linolenic acid.
Bud absolute and leaf
Bud absolute and leaf material used in flavor and fragrance.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Anthocyanin assay
- Total and individual anthocyanins by HPLC, or total by pH-differential UV; the method should be stated.
- Fatty acid profile (GC)
- For seed oil, fatty acid composition by GC, with peroxide value and acid value.
- Brix and acidity
- For juice concentrate, soluble solids and titratable acidity.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, usually by ICP-MS, checked against the buyer's limits and Prop 65 exposure targets where relevant.
- Pesticide residues
- Multi-residue screen, required for organic claims and commonly requested for conventional material.
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, E. coli and Salmonella. Raw herb powders carry more microbial load than extracts and may be steam treated, which should be stated on the COA.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Keep powders and extracts sealed, cool and dark, since anthocyanins fade with heat, light and moisture. Store juice concentrate frozen or chilled per the supplier, and keep seed oil nitrogen flushed and cool to slow oxidation. Shelf life follows the supplier's spec, with the assay or peroxide value rechecked at retest.
Lots and expiry dates
Anthocyanin content, color and acidity vary with crop year and variety, so check each lot against the spec and a retained color standard. Record the supplier lot, crop year, form and retest date.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 172.510 lists black currant buds and leaves (Ribes nigrum L) among natural flavoring substances and natural substances used in conjunction with flavors.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists black currant juice with the technical effect 'flavoring agent or adjuvant' and cites 21 CFR 172.510.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Multiple Oils natural health product monograph lists blackcurrant seed oil from the seed of Ribes nigrum.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Black currant suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking black currant suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell black currant? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of black currant can brands buy?
Common forms include juice concentrate, fruit powder, anthocyanin extract, seed oil and bud absolute and leaf. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for black currant include?
Expect anthocyanin assay, fatty acid profile (GC), brix and acidity, heavy metals, pesticide residues and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should black currant be stored?
Keep powders and extracts sealed, cool and dark, since anthocyanins fade with heat, light and moisture. Store juice concentrate frozen or chilled per the supplier, and keep seed oil nitrogen flushed and cool to slow oxidation. Shelf life follows the supplier's spec, with the assay or peroxide value rechecked at retest.
What is the regulatory status of black currant?
21 CFR 172.510 lists black currant buds and leaves (Ribes nigrum L) among natural flavoring substances and natural substances used in conjunction with flavors. FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists black currant juice with the technical effect 'flavoring agent or adjuvant' and cites 21 CFR 172.510. Health Canada's Multiple Oils natural health product monograph lists blackcurrant seed oil from the seed of Ribes nigrum.
More botanicals and mushrooms
- AshwagandhaWithania somnifera · Indian ginseng
- ElderberrySambucus nigra · black elderberry
- Green Tea ExtractCamellia sinensis leaf extract · Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze
- Lion's ManeHericium erinaceus · lion's mane mushroom
- MacaLepidium meyenii · Lepidium peruvianum
- TurmericCurcuma longa · curcumin
- Ginger rootZingiber officinale · ginger rhizome
- GarlicAllium sativum · garlic powder
- EchinaceaEchinacea purpurea · Echinacea angustifolia
- Milk thistleSilybum marianum · silymarin
- Saw palmettoSerenoa repens · Sabal serrulata
- Ginkgo bilobaGinkgo biloba · ginkgo leaf extract
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