Behind the Scenes:
Nutrient Manufacturing

In the manufacture of Nutrition Dynamics’ nutritional supplements, great emphasis is placed on a high quality product. To attain this both the physical production and the biochemistry of the manufacturing process must be understood.

For safety and potency we have a continuous manufacturing process with no interruptions or delays. Our products are made on high-speed automatic manufacturing machines supervised by our Ph.D. and operated by a team of experienced workers. The care and control of the manufacturing process enables us to offer end products of consistent quality. See manufacturing and FDA's Article on Quality

COLD PROCESS TABLETING

Tablets are the most widely used pharmaceutical dosage form because they are convenient, easy to administer and less expensive to manufacture. They also deliver the intended dose with a high degree of accuracy.

Prior to the 1950s most tablets required a harsh multi-step manufacturing process. Improvements in excipients and tablet machinery have led to a simple three-step process referred to as direct compression. In this cold-processing method, tablets are directly compressed from powder blends of active ingredients and suitable excipients. The powder blends then flow uniformly into a die cavity and form into a tablet in one of our rotary presses.

The advantages of this process not only lie in its economic benefits or its simplicity, but in its properties. It eliminates heat and moisture to make the tablet more stable. It ensures optimum bioavailability because of its quick dissolution rate in the gastrointestinal tract. And, it creates tablets, which are strong and resistant to abrasion enabling them to withstand handling in manufacturing, packaging, shipping and use.

INDUSTRY NORM-GRANULATING

At first glance, conventional granulating may appear a more beneficial method of tablet manufacture because it produces a finer, more easily dissolved powder; however, process of granulating these nutrients is performed by friction grinding which produces high levels of heat—even to the point of melting the ingredients. The ground-up nutrients are heated again when crushed to form a tablet. The nutrients in these tablets are damaged or destroyed by the heat that results. As overcooking destroys the nutrients in foods, intense heat during tableting destroys the nutritional value of most supplements manufactured. For this reason, we use entirely cold-processed methods.

HARD GELATIN CAPSULES

Capsules are an attractive dosage form because they provide a smooth, easily swallowed, tasteless shell. This is particularly appealing if the contents have a bad taste or odor.

Capsules can also offer controlled release systems. These special delivery systems offer users a product with release at a predetermined rate for a definite period of time.

Capsules are available as hard soluble gelatin containers or shells prepared from collagen. We use Snap-Fit 100% pure beef gelatin capsules. These capsules are certified kosher (Ko) under Kashrut Supervision of Ko Kosher Service, a division of Adas Harabonim of Philadelphia and are Kosher and Pareve.

Snap-Fits are slightly longer than regular capsules and have a pair of matched locking rings formed into the cap and body portions of the capsule. When the locking rings are engaged after filling their length is equivalent to other industry-standard capsules. These locking rings assure the capsules will not separate if subjected to vibration or rough handling.

The size of capsule used is determined during formulation and has no affect on solubility. The sizes vary from Size 00, the largest, to Size 8, the smallest.

QUALITY CONTROLS

Our products are subjected to continual sampling and statistical controls beginning with the raw materials and continuing throughout the manufacturing process until the finished product is ready for shipping.

Our raw materials are the freshest, purest quality-assured and tested ingredients obtained worldwide. All materials are certified for potency and purity before acceptance. After which stringent physical, chemical and microbiological tests are performed during the production process.

For example, tablets are subjected to a two-stage disintegration test. During the test, the tablet must completely disintegrate in simulated gastric fluid at body temperature according to United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) guidelines during both tableting and as a finished product.

Tablets must undergo three in process quality controls according to the tablets’ weight, hardness and thickness as per USP specifications.

A team of inspectors then do a scrutinizing visual check of every product in each batch and remove any substandard products before they are bottled and packaged.

Since we add no dyes or artificial colors, you may notice a slight difference from batch to batch, but be assured each batch of every product must meet USP specifications as well as our own strict requirements.

Our entire operation is environmentally controlled for temperature and humidity around the clock. In order to protect our supplements from exposures to large variations in humidity once they leave our facility, we insert moisture packs into each bottle.

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