Ribes nigrum L. berries, commonly known as blackcurrants, are a rich source of anthocyanins, particularly the 3-O-glucoside and 3-O-rutinoside forms of delphinidin and cyanidin. These anthocyanins have been linked to several health benefits, including the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. Due to their seasonal availability and perishable nature, blackcurrants are frequently processed into products such as infusions, which serve as a concentrated source of anthocyanins. However, preparation conditions may influence the stability and extraction efficiency of these compounds, thereby reducing their content in blackcurrant products. Accordingly, this study aimed to optimize the infusion conditions to maximize anthocyanin extraction.

Four commercially available lyophilized blackcurrant products were used to prepare infusions. A three-level factorial Box–Behnken design of Response Surface Methodology was employed to optimize conditions that could potentially influence anthocyanin extraction (time: 3–7 min; temperature: 80–100 °C; ratio: 0.5–4.0 g/200 mL).The anthocyanin content of freeze-dried blackcurrants and their infusions was analyzed using UHPLC-DAD.

The anthocyanin content in blackcurrant berries ranged from 537 to 2381 mg/100 g DW, with delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside being the predominant anthocyanin, accounting for 42–55% of the total anthocyanins. Among the tested variables, the mass/volume ratio was the only one that exhibited a statistically significant effect on total anthocyanin content (p < 0.0001). The highest anthocyanin content was obtained using 4.0 g of blackcurrant powder per 200 mL of water, yielding 15.5–103 mg per infusion. The extraction efficiency across all conditions ranged from 70% to 120%, confirming the potential of the selected preparation conditions to extract anthocyanins without compromising their stability during infusion preparation.

In conclusion, blackcurrant infusions offer a convenient, anthocyanin-rich alternative to fresh berries, providing around 100 mg anthocyanins/cup. The optimized infusion conditions ensure effective anthocyanin extraction without compromising sensory properties, rendering these infusions a valuable beverage with potential health benefits.