How to read a cranberry powder specification, line by line
What we settle before a cranberry powder specification sheet goes out. Most cranberry powder enquiries arrive with a competitor price and no sheet, so the first thing we establish is the grade: ours is a pure concentration powder, low-temperature spray-dried from fresh cranberry juice and pulp, with no synthetic colors, and a price quoted against a blended or carrier-heavy material cannot be compared with it. We then ask which application the powder is going into, because women's-health formulations, smoothie and juice blends, gummies and bakery coatings pull the mesh in different directions, and we confirm whether the buyer needs the carrier-free grade or a maltodextrin carrier system, since that is a production decision rather than a blending one. Packing comes next: a 25 kg fibre drum as standard, 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags for pilots. Samples are always drawn from production lots, so what the buyer tests is the material that would ship; the free quantity depends on the item's value and anything beyond is billed at cost plus courier, quoted up front.
A cranberry powder specification is a short sheet, and buyers read it in the wrong order more often than in any other berry category. Most people open it looking for a single potency number, find a percentage on a competitor's sheet, and assume the cranberry sheet is missing a line. It is not. The assay line reads pure concentration powder with no synthetic colors, which is a statement about what the powder is rather than a marker compound percentage. This article reads the cranberry powder specification in the order that matters: what the source and process lines tell you, what the assay, carrier and physical lines actually commit to, and what the packing and shelf-life lines mean for a first order. The commercial side — how quotations are compared and what a first order looks like — is covered in our cranberry powder sourcing guide.
What the source and process lines tell you
The source line reads cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), part used fruit, and the process line reads low-temperature spray drying of fresh juice and pulp. Two details matter more than they look. First, the part used: fruit, not leaf or pomace — the fruit is what carries the deep crimson-red colour of the powder. Second, the process: spray drying fresh juice and pulp is what produces a powder that is 100% pure cranberry fruit solids, with a characteristic bright, fruity taste and no carrier holding it together. That last point is the one buyers miss, because a large share of the material sold under the same name is a blended powder — fruit powder plus carrier, colour and flavour — and the two cannot be compared on price. If your specification calls for a single-origin fruit powder, the source and process lines are where that commitment is written.
The cranberry powder assay line: what “pure concentration” commits to
The assay line reads pure concentration powder, no synthetic colors. There is no percentage to compare, and that is deliberate: the line is a statement of composition. It commits to three things — 100% pure cranberry fruit solids, no added synthetic colours, and a colour that comes from the cranberry itself rather than a dye. When you compare sheets from different cranberry powder suppliers, this is the line to read first, because a sheet that reads “cranberry flavour powder” or lists added colour is describing a different product at a different price point. The same material also circulates in the market as cranberry fruit powder; on our sheet the composition is identical either way.
The carrier and mesh lines: two production decisions
The carrier line reads carrier-free, or maltodextrin carrier on request. The mesh line reads 80 mesh standard, 100 mesh on request. Both are production decisions rather than blending ones, which is why we confirm them with our manufacturing partner before quoting. The practical difference: the carrier-free grade is what a clean-label formula needs, and the maltodextrin system is what improves flow in high-speed dusting and coating lines. On mesh, 80 mesh is the standard grade and suits every application listed on the product page; 100 mesh is available on request where a finer dispersion is needed, for example in a smooth beverage base.
The physical lines: loss on drying and total ash
| Line | Standard grade |
|---|---|
| Loss on drying | 5.0% or less |
| Total ash | 5.0% or less |
| Particle size | 80 mesh standard, 100 mesh on request |
| Appearance | Deep crimson-red fine powder |
| Odour and taste | Characteristic of the fresh fruit |
Loss on drying and total ash are the two lines that tell you how the powder will behave in your process, and the limits are 5.0% or less on each. A sheet that leaves these lines blank, or states them as “typical” without limits, is asking you to accept the lot you get; ours states them as limits, and the lot COA states the result for the batch that would ship. On a marginal lot those are two different documents, and the second one is the one to ask for.
The specification sheet states limits. The Certificate of Analysis states results. Ask each supplier for the lot COA that would ship with your order, not a generic sample.
Packing, shelf life and what a first order looks like
- Standard packing: 25 kg fibre drum with a double polyethylene liner
- Samples and pilot runs: 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags
- Shelf life: 24 months in unopened original packing, stored cool, dry and away from direct sunlight
- MOQ: 1 kg
- OEM: packing under your own brand, artwork handled under confidentiality
None of these lines are decorative. The drum-and-liner combination is the standard packing the 24-month shelf life is stated against, and it is what bulk cranberry powder orders ship in; the foil bags are what make a 1 kg pure cranberry powder trial economical; and the MOQ of 1 kg is what lets a formula be tested on the material that would actually ship, because samples are drawn from production lots. If your process needs an alternative mesh size or carrier system, we confirm feasibility and lead time with our manufacturing partner within one business day rather than quoting blind.
Frequently asked questions
What is cranberry powder standardised to?
The standard grade is a pure concentration powder with no synthetic colors, low-temperature spray-dried from fresh cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) fruit juice and pulp. It is carrier-free as standard, with a maltodextrin carrier on request, and supplied as a deep crimson-red fine powder at 80 mesh with 100 mesh on request. Loss on drying and total ash are each limited to 5.0% or less.
What should I check when comparing cranberry powder specifications?
Check the assay line first: pure concentration powder with no synthetic colors, stated explicitly, which rules out blended and color-added materials. Then the carrier line (carrier-free as standard, maltodextrin on request), the mesh line (80 mesh standard, 100 mesh on request), and the physical limits (loss on drying and total ash each at 5.0% or less). Ask each supplier for the lot COA that would ship with your order rather than a generic sample.
What packing and shelf life does cranberry powder come in?
Standard packing is a 25 kg fibre drum with a double polyethylene liner, with 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags for samples and pilot runs. Shelf life is 24 months in unopened original packing, stored cool, dry and away from direct sunlight. MOQ is 1 kg, and OEM packing under your own brand is available with artwork handled under confidentiality.
Related reading
Related: Cranberry Powder — full specification, grades and documentation.