Anthocyanins profile, total phenolics and antioxidant activity of black currant ethanolic extracts as influenced by genotype and ethanol concentration

• Extraction of individual anthocyanins was differently influenced by EtOH concentration.
• Cy-3-glc, Dp-3-glc, Cy-3-rut and Dp-3-rut accounted for 92–97% of total anthocyanins.
• Sum of anthocyanins content and antioxidant activity were highest at 60% ethanol.
• Total phenolics of extracts was medium correlated (r = 0.74) with antioxidant activity.
• Better correlation was found between antioxidant activity and sum of anthocyanins.

Ethanolic extracts prepared from the fruits of three cultivars of black currant (‘Record’, ‘Blackdown’ and ‘Ronix’) macerated in three concentrations (40%, 60% and 96%) of aqueous ethanol were investigated for their anthocyanins profile, total phenolics and antioxidant activity.Nine individual anthocyanins were detected and quantified by using HPLC-MS in ethanolic extracts of black currants, i.e. delphinidin 3-glucoside, delphinidin 3-rutinoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-rutinoside, petunidin 3-rutinoside, pelargonidin 3-rutinoside, peonidin 3-rutinoside, petunidin 3-(6-coumaroyl)-glucoside and cyanidin 3-(6-coumaroyl)-glucoside. The antioxidant activity of the alcoholic extracts was investigated by the 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method while the total phenolic content was determined by using the Folin–Ciocalteu assay. The highest anthocyanins content was found in the extracts made in 60% ethanol while total phenolics content was highest at 96% ethanol concentration. The extraction yield of individual anthocyanins was differently influenced by the rise of the ethanolic concentration. Maximum extraction yield of most individual anthocyanins was reached at 60% ethanol concentration except the 3-(6-coumaroyl)-glucoside of cyanidin and petunidin whose maximum extraction occurred at 96% ethanol concentration.