Blackcurrant can damage both unopened and open flowers when the temperature falls below . The flowers at the base of the strig are more protected by the foliage and are less likely to be damaged. In midsummer the strigs of green fruit ripen to edible berries, very dark purple in colour, almost black, with glossy skins and persistent calyxes at the apex, each containing many seeds. An established bush can produce about 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds) of fruit each year. Plants from Northern Asia are sometimes distinguished as a separate variety, "Ribes nigrum" var. "sibiricum", of which "Ribes cyathiforme" is considered
Solanum nigrum forms are used and are known as "ranti" (Javanese) or "leunca" (Sundanese). The fruit and leaves are eaten raw as part of a traditional salad "lalapan", or the fruit is cooked (fried) with "oncom". It was imported into Australia from Mauritius in the 1850s as a vegetable during the gold rush, but "S. nigrum" is now prohibited for trade as a food by the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. During ancient times in Hawaii young shoots, leaves, small white flowers, and small black berries were eaten. The leaves, among other greens, were cooked by rolling hot stones among them