Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulation

Softening pickles are commonly caused by enzymes left active in the vegetables, brine or acid strength that is too low, high storage temperature, or spoilage organisms. Firmness also depends on the vegetable variety and freshness. A food technologist should review the recipe and process.

Calcium salts are used as firming agents in some foods, and their use is governed by food additive rules. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use. This page does not advise on food recipes.

Uneven rise and texture usually come from variation in flour, yeast activity, dough temperature, proofing time and temperature, or mixing. Logging these for each batch usually shows which one is varying.

Your bakery technologist should review the process. This page does not advise on bakery formulation. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use.

Colour and shelf life in cured meats depend on curing ingredients, their correct and legally limited amounts, hygiene, packaging and storage temperature. Curing agents are strictly regulated because the wrong amount is a food safety hazard, so this must be investigated by a qualified food technologist.

Never change the amount of a curing agent without a food technologist and the food regulations of your market. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use. Taskon does not advise on meat curing.

Syrup that stays dark after filtering usually needs a clarification or decolourisation step that is not working as it should, or the raw sugar or process temperatures have changed. A sugar technologist should check the clarification and decolourisation stages.

This page does not advise on sugar refining chemistry. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use.

Acidity that varies despite a fixed acid addition usually means something else is varying: the other ingredients, the water, the acid’s own concentration from lot to lot, or mixing and measurement. Measure the acid’s strength on receipt and the product’s acidity in each batch.

Phosphoric acid is used as an acidulant in some beverages. Taskon publishes Phosphoric Acid at 52-54% H3PO4. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use. Your quality team should set the acceptance tests.

Inconsistent tablet hardness is commonly caused by variation in granule moisture or size, binder distribution, compression force, or a change in an excipient lot. A pharmaceutical formulation scientist should investigate under your quality system.

This page does not advise on pharmaceutical formulation. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use.

Cracking film coats are commonly caused by a coating that is too brittle, too thick, or dried too fast, or by tablet cores that expand after coating. It must be investigated by your formulation scientist under your quality system.

This page does not advise on coating formulation. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use.

Tablet dissolution depends on the formulation, including the salt form, disintegrant, binder and lubricant, and on compression force and particle size. Comparing products needs dissolution testing to the applicable pharmacopoeial method, interpreted by your formulation scientist.

This page does not advise on medicines. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use.

Clumping during mixing is commonly caused by moisture uptake, particle size, or electrostatic effects in the powder. The choice of a zinc source for a medicine is a formulation decision that must meet pharmaceutical requirements and be made by your formulation scientist.

Taskon makes zinc compounds, but pharmaceutical use requires a grade confirmed in writing. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use.

An ointment losing effect in storage suggests the active ingredient is degrading, often from heat, light, air, moisture or an interaction with another ingredient or the packaging. Stability testing by a qualified formulation scientist is needed.

Medicines are regulated, and this page does not advise on them. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use.

A cream that separates in storage is an emulsion becoming unstable, commonly from the emulsifier system, the processing, storage temperature, or an ingredient that disturbs the emulsion. Stability testing by a cosmetic chemist is the way to find it.

This page does not advise on cosmetic formulation. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use.

Sun protection depends on the UV filters, how evenly they are dispersed, the film the product forms on skin, and stability. A labelled SPF must be supported by testing to the method that applies in your market, so any shortfall must be investigated by a cosmetic chemist and retested.

Sunscreen claims are regulated, and an unsupported SPF claim is a safety and legal risk. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use.

Coverage in a powder depends mainly on the pigment types and levels, particle size and how well they are dispersed. It is a formulation question for your cosmetic chemist.

This page does not advise on cosmetic formulation. Food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients are regulated, and Taskon supplies these uses only against a grade it has confirmed in writing for that use.