Impact of Deliquescence on the Chemical Stability of Vitamins B₁, B₆, and C in Powder Blends

Abstract

Single vitamin ingredients and blends in premixes are widely used in the food and supplement industries and are predominantly in powder form. To meet label claims and/or determine appropriate overages, it is important to characterize the stability of these ingredients. Although moisture is a known promoter of instability in powder blends, the combined effects of storage relative humidity (RH), formulation, and deliquescence on the stability of these systems are not well-characterized. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of deliquescence on the stability of vitamins B 1, B 6, and C and their mixtures. Deliquescence points (RH 0s) for all formulations were determined by moisture sorption analysis. Single, binary, ternary, and quaternary mixtures of thiamin HCl, pyridoxine HCl, sodium ascorbate, and fructose were stored in RH-controlled environmental chambers between 43 and 98% RH at 22 degrees C for up to 12 weeks. Vitamin stability was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Formulation and storage RH significantly affected vitamin stability. Thiamin and ascorbate degradation were significantly promoted above the RH 0, while pyridoxine was least affected by storage RH. The deliquescence lowering phenomenon enhanced moisture sorption of blends at RHs below the RH 0s. Ascorbate enhanced thiamin degradation. Therefore, formulation, storage conditions, and the relation of these to deliquescence points may affect the shelf life, quality, and functionality of vitamin blends and should be considered in product development, processing, storage, and use.

Quantification, Mechanism, and Mitigation of Active Ingredient Phase Transformation in Tablets

“…Thus a solution mediated NSH → HH transformation will occur. The critical relative humidity (or deliquescence RH, RH 0 ) of NSH has been reported to be 88% at 25°C, 33 in excellent agreement with the observed headspace of 90%. Since the solubility of HH is only slightly lower, its deliquescence RH is expected to be approximately the same.…”

Heat transport model for the deliquescence kinetics of crystalline ingredients and mixtures

“…Properties that can be impacted include powder flowability, mechanical properties, chemical stability, and bioavailability (Hiatt et al, 2008;Salameh, 2006;Salameh and Taylor, 2008). There are five mechanisms for wateresolid interactions: adsorption onto the surface; absorption into amorphous solids; capillary condensation; crystal hydrate formation; and deliquescence of crystalline solids .…”

Liposomal stabilization of ascorbic acid in model systems and in food matrices

“…Solid AA is very stable and appreciable rates of degradation are observed only at high relative humidity (Hiatt, Ferruzzi, Taylor, & Mauer, 2008). Degradation of AA under anaerobic conditions is slow e 50% losses of vitamin C in lemon juice at room temperature are in the range of years (Al-Zubaidy & Khalil, 2007) and, in model solutions at pH 3.5, a few months (Rojas & Gerschenson, 1997).…”