First Ever Health Claim for Cranberries Issued by AFSSA

CEDEX, FranceThe French governments food safety authority, AFSSA (Agence franaise de scurit sanitaire des aliments) approved the first ever health claim for cranberries in foods, beverages and dietary supplements to be sold in France. The health claim applies specifically to the powder and juice of North American cranberries [Vaccinium macrocarpon (VM)] only, as AFSSA confirmed in a ruling (Avis 2003-SA-0056) issued on April 6, that the powder and juice help reduce the adhesion of certain E.

coli bacteria to the urinary tract walls. Manufacturers of food, beverage and dietary supplements may now use the claim in the labeling and marketing of products containing certain quantities of concentrate or powder from North American cranberries VM. The key nutrient responsible for the cranberrys anti-adhesion health benefits are proanthocyanidins (type A), which do not allow diseasecausing organisms to stick and cause infectioninstead, they are flushed from the body.

Ocean Spray compiled a comprehensive body of research and evidence supporting the cranberrys role in urinary tract health and presented it to AFSSA. The following findings were included:

• Researchers identified a component in cranberries and blueberries prevented the adhesion of certain E. coli bacteria (N Engl J Med, 324, 22: 1599, 1991);
• The first well-controlled, large-scale clinical trial to demonstrate regular consumption of cranberry juice significantly reduced the presence of bacteria in the urine of elderly women (JAMA, 271, 10:751-4, 1994);
• Women who consumed a cranberry dietary supplement (from spray-dried cranberry juice) for six months had lower risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) than women taking placebo (J Fam Pract, 45, 2:167-8, 1997);
• Researchers identified proanthocyanidins as the compounds responsible for preventing P-fimbrated E. coli from adhering to the urinary tract (N Engl J Med 339, 15:1085-6, 1998);
• Consumption of cranberry juice or cranberry powder was effective at reducing recurrence of UTIs and may also reduce antibiotic use compared to placebo ( Can J Urol, 9, 3:1558-62, 2002); and A research review concluded cranberry juice may decrease the number of symptomatic UTIs in women (Cochrane Database Syst Rev, CD001321, 2004).

The cranberry has long been linked with a healthy urinary tract, but it was not until the 1990s that support for an anti-adhesion mechanism really began, said Joe Speroni, director of research at Ocean Spray. Weve since built up a substantial catalog of evidence, so were delighted it has now been awarded official recognition by AFSSA. This represents a major breakthrough for Ocean Spray and were looking forward to working with manufacturers to bring products bearing the claim to the marketplace. Ocean Spray Ingredient Technology Group (IGT) produces 50 Brix cranberry concentrate from the depectinized, filtered juice of mature North American cranberries and 90MX cranberry juice powder, which contains approximately 90 percent cranberry solids.

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