Research suggests that cranberry juice paired with an antibiotic helps improve treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs)

CARVER, Mass., May 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Cranberry Institute is excited to announce new research published in American Society for Microbiology which suggests that cranberry juice used alongside fosfomycin, an antibiotic commonly used to treat UTIs, may help improve outcomes for people with UTIs caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria.

UTIs are the second most common infection in the body.¹ Worldwide, more than 400 million people experience UTIs yearly.²

The research indicates that cranberry juice helps make E. coli strains in the urinary tract less resistant to fosfomycin and may also make the bacteria more sensitive to the antibiotic.

The benefit of cranberry juice alongside fosfomycin

In helping to fight an infection, the antibiotic fosfomycin must be actively transported inside the bacteria cell. This happens by two natural uptake mechanisms GlpT- and Uhp-T – that are normally used by the bacteria to acquire nutrients. GlpT is generally the main entry port for fosfomycin. This research discovered that there is something in the cranberry juice inducing the bacteria to increase the function of the Uhp uptake system.

Antibiotic resistance (AMR) is a significant public health threat

Repeated use of antibiotics can lead to AMR which poses a public health threat as infections become more difficult to treat.³ This research supports cranberry’s ability to bolster effective treatment of UTIs and help reduce the resistance of fosfomycin to help clear the infection.

Decades of research support the use of cranberry juice as an accessible and affordable way to prevent UTIs and other infections

Cranberries contain a type of tannin polyphenol called A-type proanthocyanidins (PACs). Cranberry PACs provide urinary tract benefits by interfering with the ability of E. coli bacteria to adhere to the wall of the urinary tract.⁴

“The bioactive compounds in cranberries help prevent pathogenic bacterial adhesion in multiple areas in the body, including not only the urinary tract but also the stomach and the oral cavity,” explains Amy Howell, PhD, who has researched cranberries for more than 30 years at Rutgers University. “Bacteria sticking to surfaces in the body is the first step in the infection process, so preventing this adhesion with cranberry intake can keep the infection from proceeding further.”

The full research article can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.02521-25

About the Cranberry Institute

The Cranberry Institute is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1951 to further the success of cranberry growers and the industry in the Americas through health, agricultural and environmental stewardship research as well as cranberry promotion and education. The Cranberry Institute is funded voluntarily by Supporting Members that handle, process, and sell cranberries. Supporting Members are represented in national and international regulatory matters and research efforts are done on their behalf.

For more information about the health benefits of cranberries and current scientific research, please visit: The Berry Best Guidebook.

Contact:

Caitlin Neligan
Pollock Communications
cneligan@pollock-pr.com

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SOURCE The Cranberry Institute