Cranberry Extract 10–50% PACs

The ripe fruit of Vaccinium macrocarpon, the large American cranberry, is the source of this cranberry extract, and leaves, seeds alone or the smaller European cranberry are not used. Ethanol extraction concentrates the polyphenols of the berry, and the liquor is dried to a purple-red powder.

The primary grade is 50% proanthocyanidins, written PACs, by the UV method called BL-DMAC, with a 10% grade as the lower end of the range. The powder is 80 mesh and slightly soluble in water. The 50% grade serves capsule and tablet formulas that need a small fill weight, while the 10% grade suits drink sticks and gummies.

SKU: BOT-STX-0005 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Anthocyanins, Bars & Bakery, Cranberry, Ethanol Extracted, Fruit & Berry, Gummies & Chews, Polyphenols, Standardized Extracts

PAC Standardization & Grades

Proanthocyanidins are condensed tannins built from flavan-3-ol units. Cranberry PACs are of the A type, in which an extra ether bond links the units, and this distinguishes them from the B-type PACs of grape seed and cocoa. The extract is standardized to them because they are the compound class most characteristic of the berry and because a colorimetric assay can measure them in a routine laboratory. The botanical entity is Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton, and the part used is the ripe fruit.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
10% PACs	UV, BL-DMAC	Drink sticks, gummies and fruit-led blends
50% PACs	UV, BL-DMAC	Capsules and tablets with small fill weight

Grade choice follows dose, fill weight and acidity. The 50% grade carries five times the PAC load per gram of the 10% grade, so a capsule reaches its target in a smaller fill. The 10% grade brings more of the fruit’s acids, sugars and color into each gram, which suits drinks and gummies in which cranberry flavor and tartness are part of the design. Cranberry is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract with no marker figure, the Cranberry Extract Powder, and as fruit powders, the Cranberry Powder and the Freeze-Dried Cranberry Powder.

A PAC percentage depends on the assay behind it, so quotes for cranberry extract should state the method as well as the number. A figure obtained with the BL-DMAC procedure is not comparable with a figure from another colorimetric procedure or from a chromatographic method. The 10% grade suits formulas in which tartness, color and fruit acids are wanted, and the 50% grade suits formulas in which the PAC dose is the design constraint of the cranberry extract.

PAC Analysis & Purity Risks

The grades are measured by a UV method that uses the reagent p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde, abbreviated DMAC, which reacts with PACs to give a colored product read in a spectrophotometer. BL-DMAC names a standardized version of that assay. It measures the PAC class as a whole, not individual compounds, and it is a different measurement from HPLC or gravimetric methods, so PAC figures by different methods are not interchangeable and should never be converted.

Because the assay reads a class response, the figure depends on the method and the reference used, and a bare percentage without a method has little meaning. For identity, the anthocyanin pattern of the berry is a useful partner: large cranberry anthocyanins are mainly galactosides and arabinosides of cyanidin and peonidin, which differ from the patterns of blueberry and bilberry.

Purity risks follow from the class. PACs are found in many plants, and the A-type linkage is the feature that separates cranberry material from grape seed or other B-type sources. Colorimetric assays can also respond to other reactive phenolics, so a high figure alone does not prove cranberry origin. Related berries of the same genus, such as lingonberry and blueberry, are different species with different profiles.

Because cranberry extract is itself acidic, the buffer system of a drink blend should be set with the extract in place, and the red color should be judged in the final liquid. Sample preparation for the assay also keeps the extract in acid, so that the reactive form of the PACs is preserved until the reagent is added.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Vaccinium macrocarpon
Plant Part	Fruit & Berry
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Anthocyanins, Flavonoids, Polyphenols
Common Name	Cranberry, American Cranberry, PACs
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Proanthocyanidins (PACs) of Vaccinium macrocarpon
Primary Grade	50% PACs (UV, BL-DMAC)
Available Grades	10% · 50% PACs (UV, BL-DMAC)
Appearance	Purple Red powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Slightly Soluble in Water
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Applications by Grade

50% Grade for Compact Capsules

The 50% grade reaches a PAC target in a small fill, which suits compact capsules and tablets. The extract is acidic and hygroscopic, so use moisture-resistant shells and sealed blisters, and keep the filling room dry. Moisture-resistant shells protect the acidic solid.

10% Grade for Tart Drink Sticks

At the lower grade, sticks carry the extract at a higher gram weight, which supplies fruit acidity, red color and a tart taste to water or juice-style mixes. Weight-based dosing keeps tartness and color uniform from stick to stick.

10% Grade Gummy Premixes

Gummies take the lower grade because its acids and sugars blend into a fruit gel. Acid affects pectin and gelatin setting, so adjust the buffer system and add the extract after the main cook to protect color. Fruit gels match its red color.

50% Grade in Bar Premixes

A high grade keeps the inclusion small, which protects bar texture. The extract is blended with the dry ingredients before the syrup, and its red color suits fruit and berry bars. Cold-pressed bars protect the color of the berry polyphenols.

50% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 50% grade need a dry binder and a moisture-resistant coating, since the acidic, tannin-rich solid takes up water and darkens. A compression trial on the full blend sets hardness and disintegration. Test dissolution at the end of shelf life.

10% Grade in Fruit-Style Drink Mixes

Instant drinks use the 10% grade where tartness and red color are wanted. The powder disperses to a clear-to-slightly hazy red liquid, and sweetener choice should balance the astringent finish. Cold dissolution is slower, so dissolve the powder in warm water first.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a purple-red powder with a tart, astringent taste. It is slightly soluble in water, giving a red, slightly hazy solution whose color depends on pH: it is a brighter red in acid and shifts toward blue-gray as the medium approaches neutral or alkaline. Tannins bind protein and can cloud milk-based or protein-fortified drinks.

For scale-up, avoid alkaline fillers such as carbonates, which neutralize the acids, release gas and dull the color. Sieve the powder, premix it with a small share of the carrier and verify fill weight at each lot change. Tablets are best made with a dry binder, and their hardness should be rechecked after storage. Keep the drum sealed, since the acidic solid is hygroscopic, and compare each lot with a retained sample for color. Red anthocyanin color transfers to scoops and sieves, so dedicate equipment to cranberry lots or clean it well before pale products are run.

Check the pH of the finished drink, since the red color of the extract fades toward a dull brown near neutral. Where a clear red is needed, buffer the base to an acidic pH and keep the drink out of strong light. Record the pH and the color of every pilot batch beside the lot number of the extract.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.