Blackcurrant

Blackcurrant

　　Blackcurrant, also known as purple plum, is a perennial shrub of the Saxifragaceae family, a specialty fruit introduced from the Soviet Union. It can live for over 20 years. The world's leading producers of blackcurrants include the United Kingdom, Poland, and West Germany, with smaller production in Hungary, France, the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, and Belgium.

The blackcurrant fruit is highly nutritious, containing various vitamins such as A, B, and C. In particular, its vitamin C content is exceptionally high. Tests show that every 100 grams of fresh fruit contains over 200 milligrams of vitamin C—30 to 60 times more than apples and 400 times more than oranges.

The sugar content of blackcurrants ranges from 7% to 11%, with organic acids between 1.1% and 3.7%. The seeds contain more than 16% oil. Ripe blackcurrants are rich in flesh and juice, fragrant, and have a well-balanced sweet and sour flavor. Eating about one ounce of blackcurrants per person per day or drinking half a pound of blackcurrant wine can meet the body’s vitamin C needs, helping prevent vitamin deficiencies and other infectious diseases.

Blackcurrants and their products can stimulate appetite, aid digestion, enrich blood, lower blood pressure, and refresh the mind. Blackcurrant fruits are not only edible raw but also suitable for processing, making them an important raw material in the food industry. Products made from blackcurrants, such as fruit wine, fruit syrup, jam, juice, and refreshing beverages, sell well both domestically and abroad.