Although the fruits are the economic driver for the black currant industry, the buds
and leaves are excellent sources of beneficial phenolic compounds that may contribute to the future value of the crop. In this study, extraction of phenolic compounds for different parts of the black currant plant was optimized,
and an efficient method for their separation by HPLC was developed. This allowed the simultaneous quantification of a range of hydroxycinnamic acids, flavan-3-ols,
flavonols,
and anthocyanins by DAD following their identification by HPLC-ESI-MS
n. A total of 23 compounds were detected in the buds, 22 of which were found in fruit
and leaves. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of flavonol
glycosides of quercetin, myricetin, isorhamnetin,
and kaempferol along with hydroxycinnamic acids such as neo-chlorogenic acid
and chlorogenic acid in the buds. Additionally, we provide the first evidence of kaempferol-3-
O-rutinoside in black currant leaves. This approach offers avenues for superior combined compositional identification
and cultivar selection targeted at the generation of polyphenol-rich products derived from the whole crop
and not just the fruit.
Keywords:
anthocyanins; ascorbic acid; bioactive compounds; extraction; flavonol; functional food; HPLC; polyphenols