How to choose the right cranberry ingredient for urinary tract health supplements

Native to North America, cranberries have been used for centuries to support bladder and kidney health.¹

Although there is a wide variety of cranberry-based dietary supplement ingredients available, their levels of scientific substantiation – be it in vitro activity, clinical studies or even approved health claims – can vary. The challenge for product developers is how to select the right ingredient to meet the demands and preferences of today’s consumers.

Five criteria for successful product development

There are five key criteria that should be considered when selecting a cranberry ingredient for urinary tract health. Products that meet all five of these criteria will likely be in a better position to create a strong value proposition for the consumer.

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1. Confirming the species

Most of the relevant research providing scientific substantiation for cranberry’s urinary tract health benefits has been conducted on one specific species: Vaccinium macrocarpon. Choosing the same highly-researched cranberry species can help to create stronger substantive support for urinary tract support. Moreover, as a popular urinary tract supportive botanical, opportunities to eliminate any attempts of adulteration are important. Therefore, ensuring quality and purity of this cranberry species is vital.‍

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2. Standardisation to an active 

Another critical step in the ingredient qualification process is to confirm that the ingredient is standardised and reproducible. Often, cranberry products are standardised to their proanthocyanidin (PAC) content. PACs are phytoactives that are believed to be partially responsible for supporting urinary tract health. Although PACs are most likely not the only active constituent in cranberries, they are the most recognised. The practice of standardisation to a marker (PACs or otherwise) is important to guarantee consistency in quality from harvest to harvest, batch to batch, and ultimately, dose to dose. ‍

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3. Measurable activity

Determining whether the product delivers the activity needed to support urinary tract health is another important step in selecting the appropriate cranberry ingredient. This is a critical success criteria for cranberry products, which will make it easier for a product to succeed in the marketplace.‍

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4. Product-specific clinical studies

Possibly the most crucial metric for selecting an appropriate dietary supplement ingredient is clinical research. It is most important to select an ingredient with product-specific clinical research demonstrating its ability to support urinary tract health. It is a mark of quality when this research is then published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. 

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5. Approved health claims

Health claims approved by a regulatory authority, such as the US FDA or Health Canada, offer assurance that the ingredient can deliver the benefits sought by consumers. Although not all regulatory jurisdictions allow for health claims, a claim approved in one jurisdiction indicates that the ingredient has gone through rigorous scientific review by a third party. 

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Ensuring success on the marketplace

The criteria listed above can support product developers during their ingredient selection process, helping them successfully commercialise a cranberry-based dietary supplement. 

Givaudan’s portfolio of scientifically substantiated ingredients, including  Pacran™ and Flowens™, can help product developers create solutions that meet varying consumer needs while building consumer trust in their solutions. 

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