Phenols and Ascorbic Acid in Black Currants (Ribes nigrum L.): Variation Due to Genotype, Location, and Year

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 degrees 06'N; north: 65 degrees 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.