Black Currant Extract Powder

Black currant extract is made from the glossy dark berries of Ribes nigrum, the true black currant, and not from the seed oil or the leaf. Water extraction concentrates the soluble berry fraction, and the liquor is dried to a brown powder. Seed oil from the same shrub is a separate ingredient.

The 10:1 ratio extract of black currant carries no anthocyanin percentage. Milled to 80 mesh, the powder is water dispersible. An anthocyanin-graded extract, the plain black currant powder and the freeze-dried powder are separate products with their own specifications.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0053 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Black Currant, Fruit & Berry, Gummies & Chews, Plant Extracts, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Ribes nigrum Berry Identity & Plant Part

The botanical entity is Ribes nigrum L., a deciduous shrub of the gooseberry family, Grossulariaceae, grown in cool temperate regions of Europe and Asia. The part used is the ripe berry, which is dark, aromatic and sharply tart. Leaves, buds and seeds are not added separately to this black currant extract, although each berry holds small seeds.

The common name causes errors. The dried “currants” sold as snacks are small raisins made from Zante grapes, which belong to the genus Vitis. Red and white currants are other Ribes species, and their berries carry a different pigment profile. The one-word spelling “blackcurrant” is common on listings, so the Latin name and the berry are the reliable identifiers. One comparison of Ribes species found red currant pigments more stable than those of black currant extracts, so the two berries are not interchangeable in color-sensitive blends.

Black Currant Extract vs Powders & Grade

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Black Currant Berry Extract	Water-extracted, concentrated and dried R. nigrum berry	A dispersible berry extract without a marker is wanted
Blackcurrant Extract 25–36% Anthocyanins	Standardized extract with a defined anthocyanin range	The specification names an anthocyanin figure
Black Currant Powder	Dried, milled whole berry	Whole-berry fiber and flavor are wanted
Freeze-Dried Black Currant Powder	Whole berry dried by freeze-drying	Gentle drying and fresh-berry character matter

Ten parts of black currant berry stand behind each part of the powder, and the ratio stops there. It does not give an anthocyanin or vitamin C content, and the same ratio can hide quite different tartness and sweetness from cultivar to cultivar.

The graded extract is the product when an anthocyanin figure must appear on a label. The ratio extract suits formulas that want black currant identity, a tart berry note and a dispersible form. The two black currant powders bring fiber and whole-berry character, the freeze-dried one through gentler drying.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Ribes nigrum
Plant Part	Fruit & Berry
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Black Currant, Blackcurrant
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Dispersible
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Application Areas

Dark-Berry Capsule Fills

Opaque capsule shells hide the brown color of black currant extract. The sugar- and acid-rich powder takes up moisture readily, so a desiccant in the bottle and a flow check before filling keep the fill weight steady across a run.

Tart Chewable Tablets

Chewable tablets make use of the sharp berry flavor of black currant extract. The acidic powder needs a binder that tolerates acid, and pressing in a low-humidity room with a desiccant pack protects hardness and color during storage.

Pectin Gummy Premixes

Gummy and pastille premixes take the extract after the cooking stage, once the mass has cooled, because the anthocyanins and vitamin C are heat sensitive. The acid in the powder also moves the pH of a pectin set, so the buffer is adjusted in trials.

Berry Drink Sticks

Drink sticks combine the extract with sweetener and a flavored carrier. In water the powder gives a dark red to red-brown, slightly hazy drink, and its musky, fruity aroma is strong enough that milder fruit flavors are used at low levels.

Formulation Notes

The powder is brown, with a strong, musky-fruity aroma characteristic of black currant and a tart, astringent, sweet taste. In water it dissolves or disperses to a dark red to red-brown, slightly hazy liquid whose shade shifts with pH. Sugars and acids make the powder hygroscopic and sticky, and it cakes when left open.

Anthocyanins and vitamin C are sensitive to heat, light, oxygen and metal ions. Add black currant extract late in any heated step, protect the finished product from light and keep it out of contact with iron and copper fittings. Blend the powder into a small share of the carrier first, then screen out soft lumps before filling.

If a container has to be left partly used, press out the air and close the liner at once. Moisture turns this sugar-rich powder into a hard, dark cake that no sieve can restore to a free-flowing powder.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.