Researchers Identify Additional Bacteria-Inhibiting Benefits of Cranberries; Compounds in Fruit Have Potential to Reduce Risk of Gum Disease.

LAKEVILLE, Mass.--(BW HealthWire)--Dec. 8, 1998--

Researchers have discovered that the bacteria-inhibiting property of specific cranberry compounds has the potential to reduce the risk of gum disease. According to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association, certain compounds in cranberries inhibit some bacteria from adhering to each other and producing dental plaque, which is a major cause of periodontal or gum diseases.

The peer-reviewed study was conducted at Tel Aviv University in Israel by a group of researchers who a decade ago were among the first to identify the bacterial anti-adhesion benefits of cranberries in maintaining urinary tract health. The new study found that compounds in cranberries promote a similar anti-adhesion effect on some bacteria that typically inhabit the mouth. The cranberry extracts blocked these bacteria from attaching to each other. This bacteria-inhibiting action is crucial to prevent the formation of dental plaque - the sticky film of bacteria that covers the teeth and can cause numerous dental problems.

"The cranberry's anti-adhesion ability is well documented in many previous laboratory and clinical studies, especially as it relates to urinary tract health," said Ervin I. Weiss, DMD, associate professor in the School of Dental Medicine at Tel Aviv University. "Now, for the first time, we have evidence that the cranberry's anti-adhesion capability could have oral health implications."

Dr. Weiss emphasized that more research is needed to determine the role these active compounds could play in improving oral hygiene. The findings could eventually lead to new dental care products that would reduce dental plaque through an anti-adhesion process, he said.

"This important study provides the first evidence that the anti-adhesion properties of cranberries could be effective against bacteria beyond the urinary tract," said Martin Starr, PhD, director of health and nutrition at Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., which provided research funding to Tel Aviv University. "While no cranberry products are currently available that could serve this purpose, this certainly opens up some exciting possibilities. At Ocean Spray, we're fundamentally interested in understanding the health science of the cranberry and look forward to further exploring these bacteria-inhibiting benefits throughout the body."

In 1991, the Tel Aviv University researchers published the results of their cranberry and urinary tract health study in the New England Journal of Medicine. They found that the anti-adhesion effect was due to certain compounds in cranberries that prevent E. coli bacteria from sticking to the lining of the urinary tract. This year, a Rutgers University study published in the October 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine was the first to identify the specific compounds in cranberries (condensed tannins) that are responsible for this anti-adhesion effect. Those findings supported a 1994 Harvard Medical School study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, that determined that regular consumption of cranberry juice cocktail significantly reduced urinary tract bacteria in elderly women. The new Israeli study is the first to find the anti-adhesion mechanism occurs with some bacteria that typically inhabit the mouth.

"This study is intriguing and it may spark new interest in cranberries and its relation to oral health, but more research is needed to determine the true efficacy and practical application of the cranberry compound," said Joseph L. Perno, DDS, FAGD, president of the Academy of General Dentistry, an organization of general dentists dedicated to continuing dental education. "A regular oral hygiene regimen that includes daily brushing, flossing and professional cleanings is the most effective tool to minimize plaque and reduce gum disease risk."

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. is an agricultural cooperative owned by 950 cranberry and grapefruit growers throughout the United States and Canada. With annual sales of more than $1.4 billion, Ocean Spray continues its long-standing position as the nation's best-selling producer of canned and bottled juice drinks.

NOTE: B-roll footage will be distributed via satellite from 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Coordinates are TELSTAR 4 (C-BAND) TRANSPONDER 6. Dual audio 6.2/6.8. Hard copies of the videotape are available upon request.