[NAFEX] Info on Black Currant questions (long)

list at ginda.us list at ginda.us
Wed Mar 10 18:11:30 EST 2004


Thanks!
On Mar 10, 2004, at 9:44 AM, Moyer, Richard wrote:

> Black Currant info; skip if you don't enjoy details.
> The recent black currant discussion has been enjoyable.  I'd like to 
> answer
> from my experience with rust resistant cultivars.   Some of you are 
> asking
> detailed questions, so here are some detailed answers.
> Ribes = genus with gooseberries and currants
> Ribes nigrum = European black currants
>
> As for rust resistance, there are apparently several genetic paths to
> disease resistance in black currants, so rust resistance is a range, 
> not a
> binary trait.  For instance, many black currants at the NCGR (USDA 
> National
> Clonal Germplasm Repository) are rated on a 1-9 scale in rust 
> resistance.
> Consort and Titania are elites in their high resistance, rated at 1.  
> Other
> currants with lesser resistance range from 2-9.  Plant pathologists 
> prefer
> not to say rust 'immunity', as there may be a time or place where rust 
> could
> occur one day, however unlikely.  I'll share later a summary of a more
> complete study of Ribes rust resistance at NCGR.  Such studies need to 
> be
> cited if working to modify state laws regarding Ribes production.
>
> Thanks to Steve for pointing out that fresh Consort has a 'dirty' 
> flavor,
> described by others as 'off' or 'skanky'.  To my taste, at least some 
> of
> these off flavors make it into the cooked Consort product.  By cooked
> product, I mean 100% berries, plus whatever sugar may need to be added 
> for
> palatability.  If used in ice cream, yogurt, etc, these off flavors 
> may be
> minimized.  This raises at least 2 issues (I'm not a food scientist):
> a) A sizeable minority of the population are non-tasters for certain
> flavors; we each lack some ability that others have.  Hence some people
> might not detect certain Consort 'off' flavors, flavors which may 
> scream at
> a few tasters on the other end of the scale.
> b) An off flavor to one person is an acquired, even preferred flavor
> component to another.  Hence when saying if 'Consort' works for you, 
> go for
> it, I don't imply that differences in rust resistant cultivars are 
> minimal
> or nuanced. For some folks, certain 'Consort' flavors simply will not 
> be
> noticed, or even be preferred.
>
> Ginda asked whether the better tasting raw R. nigrum are also superior
> cooked.  The short answer from my kitchen and palate is yes, with a 
> longer
> answer below.  Someone else asked earlier about potential health 
> benefits of
> black currants.  From work done with others at OSU and NCGR, we found 
> that
> the average amount of total phenolics (wide range of plant chemicals) 
> in
> black currant fruit is about 1.6X that of a range of blueberries and
> blackberries.  From lunch today, I can state that black currant sauce 
> has a
> breadth of flavors and aromas far beyond blackberry sauce, and beyond 
> fig
> butter, rhubarb jam, and apple sauce.  (This black currant sauce is 
> from
> Titania (R. nigrum), a rust resistant currant).  We're eating Titania 
> and
> Crandall (R. aureum, an American) and though these two currants have
> comparable levels of total phenolics and rust resistance, they differ 
> in
> flavor and aroma, as noted by Ginda.  Crandall was my introduction to
> currants; I'm still impressed with its cooked flavor and continue to 
> grow
> it.  During bloom, its color and scent beats all European black 
> currants by
> a mile.
>
> As for fruit, Consort has 1.45X the phenolics level of Titania and 
> Crandall.
> In fact, Consort has the highest phenolics of 33 R. nigrum cultivars 
> tested.
> Only a tiny fruited Chilean currant beat Consort in total phenolics, 
> and Kim
> Hummer (NCGR) said this one tasted like medicine, and I agree it was 
> very
> different.  So if it's total phenolics you are after, Consort beats the
> other 33 black currants we tested.  I don't know ID of additional 
> compounds
> in Consort that lead to 'off' flavors, as we only did HPLC analysis on 
> color
> components (anthocyanins).  Consort leads in total phenolics, which 
> may be
> the best reason to grow it.
>
> As for average antioxidant values, blueberries, blackberries and 
> currants we
> tested were roughly equal. Two measures of antioxidant capacity, FRAP 
> and
> ORAC, were used.  (Black raspberries beat all other fruits hands down 
> for
> total antioxidants.)  Consort, Titania and Crandall currants are about 
> equal
> for FRAP antioxidant capacity, and Consort is slightly ahead of the 
> other
> two in ORAC antioxidant capacity.
>
> Summary: From our study, blueberries, blackberries and black currants 
> are
> about the same in antioxidant capacity.  Black currants are 
> significantly
> higher than blue- and blackberries in total phenolics, which 
> contribute to a
> range and depth of flavors unmatched in most other fruits.
> These flavors are detectable in raw currants, and carry over into 
> cooked
> products.  Breeding is not being done to remove these rich flavors on a
> quest for sweeter, blander fresh fruit.  Sugar is cheap as far as the 
> food
> industry in concerned, and can always be added to an otherwise superior
> cooked product.
>
> My personal quest for superior rust resistant cultivars is a cooked 
> product
> with enough natural sugars that the sauce stands alone, nothing 
> needing to
> be added.  (I'd rather grow my own sugars).  The sauce should also 
> have the
> body of the best of the black currant aromas and flavors, hence should 
> be
> rich in phenolics and other flavor components.  I know of no efforts to
> 'dumb down' black currants to make them more bland for the American 
> palate.
> Selection of sweetness among several other traits, yes, but those other
> traits must be there, including rich full body, superior cropping and 
> plant
> form, and disease resistance.  I look forward to the future releases by
> Harry Swartz and Ed Mashburn.
>
> Richard Moyer
> Zone 6, Bristol, TN
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