About
What it is and where it shows up.
Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is a tart, red berry native to North America used as a whole fruit, juice, sauce, dried fruit, and concentrated extract in foods and dietary supplements. It is rich in polyphenols — including proanthocyanidins (PACs), anthocyanins, flavonols, and phenolic acids — valued for antioxidant, anti-adhesion, and potential cardiovascular properties.
Safety summary
The regulatory and scientific consensus.
Cranberries and cranberry extract powder are recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA and assessed as safe by EFSA as a novel food ingredient based on composition, clinical trials, and manufacturing data. High-dose cranberry consumption can increase urinary oxalate excretion, raising kidney stone risk in susceptible individuals. Cranberry products may potentiate the effect of anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin, requiring caution in patients on blood thinners.
Regulatory landscape
What food-safety regulators have decided.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | EFSA NDA Panel assessed cranberry extract powder (containing ~55–60% proanthocyanidins) as a novel food ingredient under Regulation (EC) No 258/97. Panel found the product safe as a nutraceutical and food ingredient based on composition, batch variability, stability, and clinical data. Multiple health claims under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 regarding UTI prevention via cranberry PACs were also reviewed. Protein content data were requested to confirm low allergy risk.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Cranberries as a whole fruit are not specifically restricted or banned under FSSAI regulations and are traded/consumed under the general FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation 2011. Cranberry-based health supplements and nutraceuticals are regulated under FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Novel Food) Regulations 2016. No specific ADI or maximum use level has been established.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Cranberry extract powder affirmed GRAS through scientific procedures under GRN 000873 (Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.). FDA raised no questions about the GRAS conclusion. Intended uses include beverages, beverage bases, and processed fruits/fruit juices at up to 300 mg per 8 oz serving. Cranberry whole fruit and juice have a long, established history of safe use in conventional foods.source |
Who should approach with care
Whose guidance would steer them away.
Kidney Disease — Cranberries are high in oxalates; high consumption can increase urinary oxalate excretion and elevate the risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones in individuals with a history of nephrolithiasis or impaired renal function.
Heart Disease — Cranberry products may potentiate the anticoagulant effect of warfarin and similar drugs commonly prescribed for cardiac conditions, as documented in pharmacological interaction reviews; patients on anticoagulant therapy should consult their physician before regular high-dose use.
Diabetes — Commercially processed cranberry products — including juice cocktails and sweetened dried cranberries — contain substantial added sugars that can impair blood glucose control in people with diabetes.
Infants — Cranberry juice and concentrated cranberry forms are high in acidity and, in the case of juice cocktails, added sugar; these are not recommended for infants, and no safety data have been established for this age group under EFSA or FDA guidance.
Research citations
The sources behind this verdict.
- 1PubMed. Highly Active Cranberry's Polyphenolic Fraction: New Advances in Processing and Clinical Applications, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2FDA. GRAS Notice No. GRN 000873 – Cranberry Extract Powder (Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.), 2020. fda.gov
- 3PubMed. American cranberries and health benefits – an evolving story of 25 years, 2018. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4EFSA. Safety of cranberry extract powder as a novel food ingredient pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97, 2017. efsa.europa.eu
- 5EFSA. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to proanthocyanidins from cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) fruit and defence against bacterial pathogens in the lower urinary tract pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, 2011. efsa.europa.eu
Independently researched5 citations