Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of cranberries does not extract oligomeric proanthocyanidins (PAC) but does alter the chromatography and bioactivity of PAC fractions extracted from SFE residues.

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) removed lipophilic compounds and low molecular weight flavonoids from cranberries. However, SFE did not extract proanthocyanidins (PAC). The SFE PAC-enriched residue was submitted to fractionation on Sephadex LH-20 using ethanol, ethanol/methanol, and 80% acetone. PAC degree of polymerization (DP) and ratios of "A-type" to "B-type" interflavan bonds were compared with those of PAC fractions without SFE. Mass spectrometry showed that when SFE was used, PAC distribution was shifted toward higher DP and contained higher amounts of two and three "A-type" bonds compared to PAC fractions without SFE. The 80% acetone fraction with SFE had significantly greater extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) agglutination and significantly lower ExPEC invasion of enterocytes than the fraction without SFE. Cranberry PAC with higher numbers of "A-type" interflavan bonds are more bioactive in agglutinating ExPEC and inhibiting ExPEC enterocyte invasion.