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32D October 2014 Tablets & Capsules selecting packaging material. MVTR is usually calculated in grams of water per mil thickness per surface area per unit time. The size of a package significantly affects its surface area, so MVTR values must be scaled accordingly. For example, a bottle made of the same plastic and similar wall thickness as a smaller one will have greater surface area, leading to more total moisture ingress into the bottle. Similarly with films, the sachet or stick dimensions deter- mine overall surface area. In thermoformed blisters, the major factors that determine moisture ingress are cavity size and material stretching, which reduces film thickness. In cold-formed blisters, the MVTR should remain near zero as long as the aluminum covering is sealed and has no holes. Protecting the probiotic product from moisture during all blending, processing, and packaging steps is crucial to product quality—specifically, to meeting label claim throughout shelf-life. Remember: Moisture gain during production is cumulative. It's not enough to maintain scrupulous environmental controls during one stage of production and then relax them in downstream steps. Any moisture gained will remain trapped inside the pack- aging for the product's shelf-life, jeopardizing the probi- otic's viability. From the moment they're produced onward, capsules containing ultra-probiotics must be carefully packaged and stored to prevent moisture uptake. T&C Tad Stewart is a probiotic applications scientist at DuPont Nutri- tion & Health (formerly Danisco), 3329 Agriculture Dr., Madi- son, WI 53716. Tel. 800 255 6836. Website: www.danisco.com. Stewart holds a degree in microbiology from Northern Arizona University and previously worked in development and quality control for a probiotic supplement manufacturer. Connie Sindelar holds a masters degree in food science from Michigan University and has worked on probiotic applications at DuPont for 10 years. The inherently limited volume of a capsule shell demands highly stable strains of probiotic bacteria in order to keep overage levels low and still meet live-cell-count label claims for the duration of the product's shelf-life. markets Steady growth projected for nutritional supplements NEW YORK, NY—The US dietary supplements market will maintain a compound annual growth rate of 6.3 percent through 2018, reaching $16.4 billion in sales that year, according to a report from research group Packaged Facts. While omega-3 fish oil and calcium bone supplement sales declined in 2013 and 2014, digestive health and probiotic products posted a nearly 25 percent increase in sales. According to the report, most of the market's growth will stem from higher sales to the aging population and consumers becoming more involved in their health. The report notes that the Hispanic market for supplements grew faster between 2009 and 2014 than that of any other ethnic demo- graphic. "Nutritional Supplements in the US, 6th Edition" is available for $3,595 at www.packagedfacts.com. Herbal and botanical market reaches $6 billion AUSTIN, TX—US retail sales of herbal and botanical dietary supple- ments increased by 7.9 percent in 2013, reaching $6 billion for the first time according to HerbalGram, a quar- terly published by the American Botanical Council. The top-selling herbs were horehound, yohimbe, cranberry, black cohosh, and senna. The top-selling dietary supplements made with an herbal primary ingredi- ent were turmeric, wheat and barley grass, flaxseed and/or flax oil, aloe vera, and spirulina (blue-green algae). The report can be found at cms.herbalgram.org. Jacqueline Khayat was hired as sales director of Neptune Tech - nologies and Bioressources, Laval, Quebec, known best for its propri- etary process for extracting krill oil. people news Jennifer Wilson was promoted to director of sales at dietary supple- ment CDMO National Enzyme, Forsyth, MO. nutra news Report: Phytosterols could cut CHD risks, costs MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA—If Ameri- cans 55 and older with coronary heart disease (CHD) supplemented their diets with phytosterols (plant-based compounds known to reduce choles- terol), they could reduce heart attack and stroke incidence by 11 percent, saving billions in health-care dollars, according to a report funded by the Council for Responsible Nutrition Foundation. "Smart Prevention: Health Care Cost Savings Resulting from the Targeted Use of Dietary Supplements," conducted by Frost & Sullivan, posits that 2.3 million CHD-related medical