Excipients

Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC)

MCC is a versatile hydrocolloid excipient obtained through acid hydrolysis of cellulose, a substance naturally present in plants. It is composed of aggregations of porous and highly compressible particles. MCC is water insoluble due to the presence of hydrogen bonds in the crystalline regions of the molecule chains. It is commonly used as a thickening agent, binder, and stabilizer in various industries, including food and beverage, personal care, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and industrial applications.

Food & Beverage: MCC is used as a bulking agent, anti-caking agent, stabilizer, and texturizer in food and beverage products. It can improve the texture, mouthfeel, and appearance of foods such as baked goods, dairy products, sauces, dressings, and beverages. MCC is often used in low-fat or reduced-calorie formulations to mimic the texture and mouthfeel of higher-fat products.
Nutraceutical: MCC is used in the production of dietary supplements and pharmaceutical tablets as a binder, flow agent and disintegrant. It helps to improve the compressibility and flow of powdered ingredients for oral solid dose tablets and facilitates their disintegration and dissolution in the digestive tract for optimal absorption.
Industrial: In industrial applications, MCC is used in various processes, such as paper manufacturing, ceramics production, and polymer processing. It can act as a reinforcement agent, rheology modifier, and filler in industrial formulations to improve strength, texture, and processing characteristics.
Personal Care: In personal care products, MCC serves as a thickening agent, binder, and stabilizer. It is commonly found in cosmetics, skincare products, toothpaste, and pharmaceuticals to enhance product viscosity, texture, and stability.

Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC)

Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) is a modified form of cellulose, derived from plant fibers, used as a thickening agent and stabilizer in a variety of products, including food and beverage, personal care, nutraceutical, pharmaceuticals, and industrial applications.

Food & Beverage: CMC is utilized as a thickening agent, stabilizer, and emulsifier in food and beverage products. It can help improve the texture, viscosity, and mouthfeel of products such as sauces, dressings, soups, dairy products, and baked goods. CMC is often used in low-fat or reduced-calorie formulations to simulate the texture and mouthfeel of higher-fat products.
Nutraceutical: CMC may be used in nutraceutical products as a dietary fiber supplement due to its water-binding properties and potential health benefits for digestive health.
Industrial: CMC is used as a thickener, stabilizer, and rheology modifier in various processes such as paper manufacturing, textiles, adhesives, and coatings.
Personal Care: CMC is also used in pharmaceutical formulations as a binder, disintegrant, and controlled-release agent in tablet and capsule preparations. It helps to ensure the uniformity and integrity of dosage form and facilitate the release of active ingredients in the body.

Silicon Dioxide

Silicon dioxide (SiO2) is a compound composed of silicon and oxygen atoms and is commonly known as silica.

Food & Beverage: Silicon dioxide is commonly used as an anti-caking agent and a food additive in powdered foods such as spices, coffee creamer, and powdered sugar.
Nutraceutical: In the pharmaceutical industry it is used as an excipient in tablet formulations to improve flow properties.
Personal Care: Silicon dioxide is used in cosmetics and personal care products as a thickening agent, absorbent, and anti-caking agent. It is commonly found in products like toothpaste, sunscreen, and makeup.

Stearates

Stearates are salts or esters of stearic acid, which is a saturated fatty acid. Stearates serve multiple functions across industries, primarily due to their lubricating, stabilizing, and emulsifying properties.

Food & Beverage: Stearates are used in the food industry as emulsifiers, stabilizers, and lubricants. They may be found in products like candies, chewing gum, and some food packaging materials.
Nutraceutical: Stearates are commonly used as a lubricant in the production of pharmaceutical tablets and capsules. Stearates help prevent sticking of the tablet material to the machinery during production and aid in the release of the final product from the molds.
Industrial: Stearates find applications in various industrial processes such as in the production of candles, in metalworking as lubricants, and in paper production as a releasing agent.
Personal Care: Stearates are used in cosmetics and personal care products such as lotions, creams, and makeup as thickeners, emulsifiers, and lubricants.

Stearic Acid

Stearic Acid is a naturally occurring saturated fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable fats. TriStar® brand of Stearic Acid powder derived from RSPO palm oil is produced by a special milling process resulting in a fluffy amoeba shaped snowflake powder, which has higher surface area and lower bulk density than stearic acid produced by the typical chill spray method. When using TriStar® in the making of tablets, these unique particles allow for greater spread ability and an overall more homogenous mix, which provides better lubricity and allows one to use less.

Food & Beverage: Stearic acid and its salts (stearates) are used as food additives for various purposes, including as emulsifiers, stabilizers, and lubricants. They are found in products such as candies, chewing gum, and margarine.
Nutraceutical: Stearic acid is used as an excipient, particularly in the production of tablets and capsules. It functions as an emulsifying and solubilizing agent as well as a lubricant.
Industrial: Stearic acid is utilized in various industrial applications. It is used as a lubricant and release agent in the production of rubber, plastics, and metal casting. It also finds use in the manufacture of candles to harden wax and improve burning characteristics.
Personal Care: Stearic acid is used in cosmetics and personal care products, such as creams, lotions, soaps, and shampoos. It serves as an emulsifier, helping to blend oil and water-based ingredients, as a texturant to give products a creamy consistency and help against separation and as a mild surfactant to help cleanse the skin without stripping it of its natural oils. It also acts as barrier to help lock in the skin’s natural moisture as well as protect against environmental stressors and irritants.

Carbomers

Carbomers are rheology modifiers that are synthetic high molecular weight cross-linked water-soluble polymers of acrylic acid. They are widely used in cosmetics, personal care and pharmaceuticals for their suspending, emulsifying, stabilizing and thickening properties.

Personal Care: In personal care products, carbomers have multiple functions including thickening, absorption, and retention of water to improve a product’s texture, suspension, and stabilization.