In vitro studies of modulation of pathogenic and probiotic bacterial proliferation and adhesion to intestinal cells by blackcurrant juices

New Zealand commercial varieties of blackcurrant, namely 'Magnus', 'Ben Ard', 'Ben Rua', 'Blackadder White', 'Ben Hope', and three breeding selections, namely L410, L406, L700 were evaluated for their potential role in promoting gut health. The berryfruit juices were studied in relation to their chemical composition, antioxidant ability and effects on the proliferation of Salmonella and Lactobacilli species and their adhesion to a gut epithelium model. The blackcurrant juices were all rich in anthocyanins and this contributed to their high antioxidant capacity. They inhibited the proliferation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and its adhesion to gut epithelial cells in vitro and enhanced the proliferation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus. These data suggest that juices from L700 and 'Ben Ard' have high cyanidin rutinoside content and offer the greatest functional benefits as antioxidants, and this may partially contribute to their effects on inhibition of salmonella proliferation and adhesion to gut cells.