Recommended Blending Equipment For Nutraceuticals

By Christine Banaszek

Nutraceuticals are supplied in many forms including tablets, capsules, drink mixes and powders.

Faced with an increasing demand for higher processing standards, nutraceutical companies are intensifying efforts on diligent equipment selection and good manufacturing practices. One of the key considerations is proper blending of the active ingredient(s), excipients, fillers, flavors, colors, lubricants and other additives to ensure consistent product quality, efficacy and purity.

Dry blending is an indispensable operation in the manufacture of multivitamins, sports supplements, herbal extracts, meal-replacements, green food powders and other nutraceutical products. Many supplement formulators and contract manufacturers accomplish this process on Ross Ribbon Blenders. Ingredients are loaded into a U-shaped trough and mixed by a horizontal agitator consisting of inner and outer helical ribbons. The position and precise pitch of each ribbon produce a well-balanced axial and radial flow pattern, promoting fast and thorough mixing. Maximum tip speeds are approximately 300 ft/min but with variable speed control, the blending action can be fine-tuned and optimized according to the characteristics of a particular recipe.