Brightseed and Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. expand partnership to validate novel health benefits of bioactive compounds found in cranberries using Forager AI

Image courtesy of Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc.

Brightseed (San Francisco, CA) and Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. have announced the discovery of novel bioactive compounds in cranberries using Brightseed’s Forager AI. Forager’s in silico findings will undergo deeper clinical validation, but the current findings will be presented in a poster session presented by Ocean Spray research scientists at the American Society of Nutrition’s NUTRITION 2024 conference on June 30, 2024 at 11:45 am CDT in Chicago, IL.

“Ocean Spray has a longstanding commitment to leading scientific exploration of cranberries and the various ways consumers can benefit from their consumption,” says Katy Galle, senior vice president of Research & Development and Sustainability at Ocean Spray, in a press release. “Our work with Brightseed’s Forager AI platform has dramatically enhanced our ability to identify and verify the various bioactive compounds found within specific cranberry varieties that can impact new areas of health, such as cognition and immunity.”

The poster session, titled “Decoding the Total Bioactive Health Potential of the Cranberry Through AI,” will be led by Lindsey Christman, PhD, and Christina Khoo, PhD, and Brightseed scientist, Chuan Wang, PhD. During the poster sessions, the Ocean Spray scientists will demonstrate the collective work of Ocean Spray and Brightseed in uncovering hidden health benefits of cranberries. According to a press release, Brightseed’s Forage AI analyzed six cranberry samples. Each sample was a different variety and growing regions. Through its analysis, Forager was able to predict four times more phytonutrients that related to new areas of human health that the two companies will further investigate and validate through pre-clinical and clinical research.

“Ocean Spray’s dedication to innovation and focus on improving human health has been a continued motivator for our partnership. This latest research further validates Forager’s impact on food and nutrition and the way in which we are producing and sourcing food,” said Mary Beth Miranda, PhD, director of Business Development at Brightseed, in a press release. "Forager was able to highlight unique compounds within cranberries and give us information about linked health benefits that were previously not studied or found, shedding more light on the power that superfruits like cranberries can hold. Our continued work with Ocean Spray will enable us to better understand the additional health benefits of cranberries and support their efforts to bring improved nutrition to consumers.”

Brightseed and Ocean Spray's partnership was originally announced in 2021.