The Challenges and Opportunities of Manufacturing Gummies
May 22, 2024
Gummies have surged in popularity as a delivery method for nutraceuticals and dietary supplements. Originally targeted to children when administering essential vitamins and minerals important to their growth and development, they've now gained favour in adult populations, especially for new consumers of dietary supplements.
But manufacturing gummies comes with its own challenges. Often high temperatures and/or low pH will lead to the nutraceutical active ingredient (NAI) being compromised, therefore manufacturers need to artificially increase the dose included in each gummy.
In storage, preserving the consistency and palatability of gummies can also prove challenging as too much moisture will lead to stickiness and too little moisture will lead to gummy hardening.
4 Challenges for Gummies
When it comes to manufacturing gummies, there are four main challenges companies must grapple with.
Manufacturing
Gummy manufacturing requires a high temperature to boil off excess water and prevent them from “setting” too soon to gelatin or pectin melting point. As a result, manufacturers tend to artificially increase the NAI amount, accounting for some active destruction due to high temperatures or pH. This leads to unnecessary cost since the NAI is often the most expensive part of the dosage form.
Storage
Packaging and storing gummies is a challenge because gummies often encounter stability issues and tend to have a shorter shelf life compared to other dosage forms. They are susceptible to external environmental factors, requiring careful preservation measures to maintain their quality.
Without sufficient protection, they may lose potency over time and their appearance or palatability might suffer as a result.
Oxygen Degradation
A decrease in potency can result from oxygen degradation and oxidative reactions, which typically manifest in two primary forms: autoxidation and chain oxidation processes.
While the chemical mechanisms behind these processes are relatively straightforward, inhibiting and preventing them pose significant challenges for most packaging manufacturers.
Moisture Degradation
Humidity levels also play a crucial role in degradation, with moisture being the primary concern. Even a small amount of moisture can lead to various issues, such as color changes or the gummies becoming sticky. Conversely, excessive dryness can result in surface cracking, altering the gummies' hardness.
As a result, manufacturers will often individually wrap the gummies, which is counterproductive with the current sustainability efforts worldwide.
4 Opportunities in Gummy Manufacturing
While these challenges can be formidable, gummy manufacturing also presents four main opportunities for improvement.
Microencapsulation
Microencapsulation of the nutraceutical active ingredients will help manage NAI quality and improve efficacy. Specifically, it will protect the gummies from heat during the manufacturing process and against stomach acidity.
This will result in improved product efficacy and will help manage overall cost, leading to increased customer satisfaction, enhanced brand image, and higher profit.
Functional Packaging
When a company uses functional packaging like EQUIS®, the right amount of moisture will remain in gummies bottle, leading to palatability integrity (neither too sticky nor too hard). Such functional packaging will also protect active ingredients from moisture or oxygen disintegration.
Reduced Packaging
In some cases, gummy manufacturers could eliminate individually wrapping gummies to protect their product and avoid stickiness. For example, Colorcon recently demonstrated that a simple coating applied at low weight gain could reduce stickiness and provide an eco-friendly alternative to outer wrappers.
Other packaging options, like IDC® Integrated Desiccant Closure, can help to reduce the overall packaging. This can be explored based on specific product requirements.
Brand Enhancement
The nutraceutical market segment is highly competitive, making it essential to distinguish oneself from competitors. Coloring agents like Opatint® Liquid Color Concentrates provide a simple one-step solution to add color and improve the overall appearance of your gummy product, making it stand out.
With an array of non-synthetic pigment options available, customers can achieve a wide spectrum of appealing colors. Furthermore, liquid concentrates ensure batch-to-batch consistency, a feature lacking in traditional methods utilizing dry powder pigments.
Closing Thoughts
Gummy supplements are increasingly popular among consumers of all ages and all countries. By carefully selecting colorants, coatings, and packaging, manufacturers can significantly elevate the quality and overall appeal of their gummies. This attention to detail enhances the consumer experience ensuring repeat business and brand credibility.
Contact Colorcon for technical assistance when developing or improving your gummy products.
About the author: Annabel Bordmann is the General Manager of Film Coatings at Colorcon. She has over 20 years experience in B2B Pharmaceutical & Nutraceutical industries.
