Probiotics: more protection and extended shelf life

Clariant, with The Healthcare Packaging business unit, announces a combination of “active” and “passive” packaging solutions that protect the potency and extend the shelf life of probiotics in nutraceutical products by inhibiting their exposure to damaging oxygen, moisture and light.

Passive solutions are the first line of defense for probiotics. These can include packages with strong barrier properties, such as Clariant’s Oxy-Guard® extrusion blow-molded bottles, characterized by a six-layer structure, which are compliant with US FDA and EU regulations for use in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications and are covered by a Drug Master File (DMF). Oxy-Guard bottles are available in a range of standard sizes, with neck finishes that accept pharmaceutical screw caps produced according to SP400.
Oxygen scavengers, typically in the form of canisters, packets or cap inserts, provide active protection against oxygen exposure, including residual headspace oxygen present during packaging or any fugitive oxygen molecules that make ingress to the package during its shelf life. Scavengers are inserted directly into the package or bottle where they actively absorb oxygen. Clariant offers PharmaKeep® oxygen scavengers, which are humidity-neutral and combined with a desiccant that simultaneously adsorbs moisture.
Clariant also manufactures a full line of silica gel and molecular sieve desiccant canisters and packets that adsorb water vapor to protect packaged pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and other products from damage due to excess moisture.