Bioactivity and chemical composition of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) cultivars with and without pesticide treatment

► Blackcurrant cultivars with and without pesticide treatment were evaluated. ► Yield and growth of pesticide-treated blackcurrants were higher. ► Pesticide-free blackcurrants contain higher amount of ascorbic acid. ► Pesticide-free blackcurrants show better inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. ► Anthocyanin content depends on individual cultivars.