What is dietary supplement manufacturing process ?
Dietary supplement manufacturing process refers to the process of turning raw materials into finished products. The production process of dietary supplement includes several links such as raw material selection, preparation process, production equipment, packaging, etc. These links are the basis for manufacturing finished products and can ensure the effectiveness of the product. During the dietary supplement manufacturing process, manufacturer should controll the production realization of the product according to the product’s efficacy and applicable population.
Raw material screening, procurement and testing
The first step of dietary supplement manufacturing process is raw material choosing. Manufacturer should choose fresh, high-quality, free of pesticide residues, additives, pests and diseases, and pollution-free food raw materials. Raw material safety requirements are high because the quality of raw materials for dietary supplements is directly related to the quality and safety of the finished food. Therefore, the raw materials must be safe, hygienic, and free of microbial contamination. Test the ingredients of dietary supplements, such as GMP, ISO and FDA requirements.
Formula design: scientific ratio and efficacy verification
Formula design basis
Scientific proportion: clarify the purpose of the raw materials and the main effects of the product. The main raw materials have their functions, and the other raw materials have a reasonable formula for compound effects.
Efficacy verification: According to the properties of the raw materials and production process of this product, indicate the source of the raw materials. Provide a quality inspection report with iconic ingredient content indicators, product qualification certificate, etc.
Different dosage forms of dietary supplement manufcaturing process
Capsule production: process differences between soft capsules and hard capsules
Soft Capsules
The composition of soft capsule materials is mainly rubber, plasticizer, additives and water.
The capsule manufacturing methods divide into two types: pressing method (molding method) and dripping method.
Compression method: The first step is to prepare the capsule material glue solution. According to the capsule material formula, soak the gelatin in distilled water to make it swell. After the gelatin dissolve, add the other materials together and stir to mix evenly. The second step is to make a film. Take out the prepared capsule material glue solution. Apply it on the flat surface of the plate to make the thickness uniform, and then heat it at a temperature of about 90°C to evaporate the surface water to form a soft film with a certain toughness and elasticity. The third step is to press the soft capsule. In small batch production, it is manually press with a pill pressing mold. In large-scale production, automatic rotary capsule rolling machines are often use for production.
Drop-making method: Drop-making method refers to the method of preparing soft capsules through a drip machine. When making, pay attention to the formula, viscosity, density and temperature of the gelatin solution, as well as all additives.
Hard Capsules
Selection of capsule materials: Gelatin is the main raw material for preparing empty capsules. In addition to gelatin, add appropriate auxiliary materials when preparing empty capsules to ensure their quality.
Production of empty capsules: The production process of empty capsules divide into six steps, including sol, dipping in glue, drying, shelling, cutting and sorting, which are mostly completed by automated production lines.
Filling in capsule: Since filling is mostly controlled by volume, and the density, crystal state, particle size of the raw materials are different, the volume occupied is also different. Therefore, select the smallest empty capsule according to the volume occupied by the dosage. The specifications of empty capsules are usually 0~3, which can almost meet the requirements of the product.
Unless otherwise specified, the items filled in hard capsules are require to be evenly mixed fine powder or granules. The filling method is the same as that in small-scale preparation, manual filling can be used. In mass production, they useautomatic filling machines.
When filling quantitative powder, a small amount of powder is often missing, resulting in insufficient content in the capsule. Therefore, during processing, prepare several more portions according to the actual required dosage. After all the powder is fill into the capsule, remove the remaining powder. If the filling material is extract powder, kept dry, and appropriate auxiliary materials should be added and mixed evenly before filling.
Capsule sealing: There are two types: flat-mouth and lock-mouth. They use Flat-mouth capsules in production, and they seal after filling to prevent leakage of the contents. Sealing is an important process.
Gummies production process
The main raw materials of gummies include sugar, starch, gelatin, fruit juice, acidulant, flavoring and pigment. Raw material processing is the first step in production to ensure the quality and stability of raw materials. screen these raw materials and inspected to ensure that the quality meets the standards. Then, according to the formula of different gummies, measure various raw materials are accurately and preliminarily mixed. For example, when making fruit-flavored gummies, the content of fruit juice will accurately adjust to ensure that the gummies have a strong and pure fruit flavor.
key points areas
Gummy manufacturing process as follow:
Syrup preparation: Sugar and water are mixed in proportion and heated to a certain temperature to form syrup. The concentration and temperature of the syrup have an important impact on the taste and texture of the final product.
Gelatin processing: Gelatin is the main gelling agent of soft candy and needs to be soaked and dissolved in advance. The solubility and gel strength of gelatin directly affect the elasticity and chewing feeling of soft candy.
Mixing and flavoring system: After processing raw materials, syrup, gelatin solution, acidulant, flavor and color are mixed according to the formula ratio.
Flavor control: Control the amount of acidulants, spices and colors added through a precise metering system. This ensures the consistency of each batch of products.
Boiling system: The mixed raw materials are transported to the boiling equipment and boiled under specific temperature and pressure conditions.
Molding system: After mixing and boiling, the syrup needs to enter the molding system to form soft candies of various shapes. Common molding methods include pouring molding and stamping molding.
Casting: Casting is the process of pouring syrup into a mold of a specific shape, which is cool to form the shape of the soft candy.
Drying system: The soft candy contains a lot of water after forming.
Packaging System: The dried soft candy enters the packaging system to protect the product from contamination and damage.
Powder production
Generally, powder manufacturing should go through the procedures of crushing, screening, mixing, dosing, quality inspection and packaging.
Screening: Screen the crushed material through an appropriate screen.
Mixing: refers to the process of cross-dispersing multiple solid powders. In the process of powder production, the commonly used mixing methods include grinding mixing, stirring mixing and sieving mixing.
Dosage division: refers to the process of dividing the uniformly mixed powder into equal weight portions according to the required dosage. Generally, the weight method and volumetric method use for dosage division.
Packaging: Powders have a large surface area and are easily hygroscopic and damp, which can cause quality degradation. Therefore, the packaging materials used should be moisture-proof. Commonly used materials include glossy paper, wax paper, glass bottles, hard capsules, etc. The packaged powders should be placed in a dry, cool, well-ventilated place.
Quality inspection: This is an important part of ensuring the quality of powders. The main items to be inspected are the uniformity, fineness and moisture of the powders. The mixing uniformity can be determined by content determination. Samples taken from different parts of the powder are measured for content, and then compared with the specified content to determine whether it meets the qualified level.
tablet
There are two major methods for tablet manufacturing: granulation tableting and direct tableting . Granulation tableting is the most widely use method, which is divided into wet granulation and dry granulation. The former is suitable for the production of raw materials that cannot be directly compressed or do not react to moisture or heat. Dry granulation refers to a method of making granules for tableting without using a wetting agent or liquid adhesive. The biggest advantage of dry granulation is that the material does not need to go through the process of wetting and heating, which can shorten the working hours and reduce the production equipment . Especially for raw materials that are easily deteriorated by moisture and heat, it can improve the product quality.
Quality Control and Testing
Quality control and testing are an important part of the dietary supplement manufacturing process, aimed at ensuring that the final product meets strict quality standards . The first is the quality control of the raw materials of the product. This includes testing the product’s heavy metals, active ingredient content, microbial limits, etc. Monitor key parameters during the production process to ensure product consistency. For example, test capsules for fill volume, disintegration time, etc. Test Soft candies for water activity, sugar content, etc. The final finished product needs to ensure that each batch of products meets registration standards and market regulations.
Packaging label customization
The last step in the dietary supplement manufacturing process is packaging customization. The packaging label is not only a carrier of product information, but also a direct reflection of the brand image. Correct packaging and labeling are crucial to product effectiveness and compliance.
The packaging divides into bottles, cans, bags, etc. And people can custom private packaging
Labels must comply with international standards set by FDA, GMP and ISO.
Certificate Qualification
Dietary supplement manufacturing requires certification qualifications.
GMP certification (Good Manufacturing Practice). The production workshop must comply with the Good Manufacturing Practice for health foods.
U.S. health product qualifications (FDA supervision). FDA registration, cGMP certification, ISO certification, third-party certification, etc. Third-party certification includes Non-GMO/Organic certification, NSF certification, etc.
Conclusion
The dietary supplement manufacturing process varies due to different dosage forms, the overall idea is the same. The principle to meet the corresponding hygiene requirements and ensure the effective ingredients . On this basis,make the selection according to the characteristics of the functional active ingredients and the characteristics of the dosage form to better serve the function of the product .
