Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1393031
12 July/August 2021 Tablets & Capsules Environmental footprint. An effervescent product generally has a lighter environmental footprint than a liquid version of the same product. The impact of trans- porting effervescent products tends to be substantially lower than that of liquid products because they are lighter and more compact. The volume of packaging materials is often reduced as well. Fun. The fizzy reaction intrigues consumers of all ages and makes everyday products just a little more entertain- ing. Sensory cues such as fragrance release, color change, and bubbly mouthfeel add to the consumer's experience. Product categories Several product types employ the effervescent tablet dosage form. Drugs. Effervescent tablets and powders have been used as delivery vehicles for analgesic, antacid, and cough/cold/flu products for many years. Consumers appreciate the rapid relief they provide, and people who have trouble swallowing tablets and capsules find the pre-dissolved product form invaluable. The Alka- Seltzer brand has a long-established business built on efferves- cent tablets that treat pain, upset stomach, and cold and flu symptoms. New over-the-counter medications have entered the market, including Blowfish, a hangover relief formula supplied in an effervescent tablet form. Dietary supplements. Effervescent products that deliver vitamins have long been popular in Europe. Airborne brought the effervescent tablet form to the supplement aisle in the US, and Emergen-C introduced vitamin C in the form of an effervescent powder. In recent years, the range of effervescent dietary supple- ments has expanded as brands look to innovate beyond standard tablets, capsules, and gummies. Numerous new products have been introduced featuring vitamins, miner- als, amino acids, botanicals, and other specialty nutrients. Beverages. Lifestyle beverages have also become popular among consumers. These products pair refresh- ing flavors with functional benefits such as rehydration through electrolytes and/or energy from caffeine and B vitamins. Since these formulas tend to be low in calories and sugar, they've been embraced by health-conscious consumers. Children's hydration products have also become available in stick-pack form, which are easy to store and have on hand. Cleaning and household products. Effervescent den- ture cleansers are an old mainstay. These products, based on surfactants and oxygen bleach, effectively clean and remove stains. A quick google search will offer a multi- tude of uses for denture cleanser beyond oral appliances. In recent years, effervescent products have been specifi- cally formulated and marketed as hard-surface and hand cleansers that allow consumers to prepare their own household products. These items effectively leverage con- sumers' desires to minimize packaging and environmental footprint, and dovetail nicely with the increasing market trend toward e-commerce and subscription models. uct lines to include tablet forms of familiar household essentials. While these products span a wide range of shapes, sizes, and categories, they all leverage the ben- efits of effervescent technology. The basics of effervescent formulas Effervescent products can be formulated to deliver a wide variety of functional materials. However, every effervescent formula is built on simple chemistry. When an acid and a carbonate salt are placed in water, they react to release carbon dioxide gas. That's the fizz of an effervescent product. Much has been written about the technical details of this reaction, so we won't go into all the ins and outs that formulators need to consider in this article [1]. Rather, we'll focus on the benefits of this technology and some products that leverage them. The benefits of effervescent products Effervescent products offer a range of benefits that appeal to consumers in all demographics and are easily marketed. Solution uniformity. Effervescent tablets and pow- ders disperse rapidly and evenly in water, eliminating the settling and clumping often associated with non- effervescent products. Rapid delivery of benefits. Effervescent products are dissolved prior to ingestion, speeding gut absorption of active ingredients. This rapid absorption shortens the product's onset, which is a particularly attractive feature for pharmaceutical and dietary supplement products. Stable environment. The anhydrous base of effer- vescent products provides an optimal environment for moisture- sensitive active ingredients, essentially eliminat- ing the risk of hydrolysis, a common cause of degradation. Convenience. Effervescent products also appeal to consumers because of their compact size and simplicity of use. Additionally, effervescent tablets and powders are almost always packaged as an individual dose, eliminat- ing the need to measure. Well tolerated. An estimated 40 percent of US adults report difficulty swallowing tablets [2]. Efferves- cent products offer a great alternative for consumers that dislike or are unable to swallow tablets or capsules, potentially aiding in patient compliance. The fizzy reaction intrigues consumers of all ages and makes everyday products just a little more entertaining. Sensory cues such as fragrance release, color change, and bubbly mouthfeel add to the consumer's experience.