SOLUBLE AND INSOLUBLE
CRANBERRY PACs

  • The solubility of the components and excipients used in cranberry supplements affects accurate PAC quantitation.
  • The juice of the cranberry contains mainly soluble PACs.
  • Certain excipients used in supplements can affect PAC levels by binding to the compounds. For example, cellulose and oils can bind to PACs and negatively influence PAC quantitation and further complicate accurate comparisons of PAC levels among cranberry products.
  • Less expensive supplements made from cranberry skins (presscake) contain cellulose which binds to PACs making them insoluble. In products containing “presscake”, only soluble PACs can be measured by the DMAC/A2 assay.
Dried Presscake

PROCESSING DEGRADATION

  • Cranberries are used in different food products like juice, sweetened dried cranberries, herbal medicines and dietary supplements in the form of powders (capsules, tablets) and gummies.
  • PACs degrade during different extraction processes, high temperatures, pressure and humidity and make accurate comparison among these different forms quite challenging.