Consumer interest in liquid nutraceutical delivery forms grow as “pill fatigue” perseveres, says Bormioli Pharma 

13 Nov 2018 --- Consumers are more mindful of their health and nutraceutical products have become aspects of an everyday diet. This, coupled with a faster pace of consumer living has spurred a number of packaging innovations for nutraceuticals. This is according to Elena Piazza, Business Development & Marketing Manager at Bormioli Pharma, which supplies pharmaceutical and nutraceutical packaging solutions. Its portfolio includes a dual chamber system packaging which offers precise reconstitution for oral products, including food supplements.

The number of consumers interested in incorporating supplements into their daily regime is growing. Supplement use has increased by 10 percent over the last decade, a consumer survey on dietary supplements commissioned by the US Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and Ipsos Public Affairs has found. The findings also showed that among users aged 18 to 35, usage was up 8 percent from 2017, taking the total number to 83 percent

Supplements typically come in pill form, but, increasingly, consumer interest in alternative delivery forms due to “pill fatigue” is driving the development of innovative delivery and dosage forms – that must also adhere to strict safety and protective matters necessitated by the fragile nature of nutraceuticals.

PackagingInsights: How does packaging for nutraceuticals differ from packaging for food and beverages?
Piazza: Some of the main differentiating factors would be the need for safety features, such as tamper-evident rings, as well as improved protection against external agents. In addition, using pharma-grade packaging raw materials is recommended in order to provide consumers with a safer and healthier product.

PackagingInsights: What are some of the most challenging R&D issues when developing nutraceutical packaging?
Piazza: Nutraceutical products are increasingly based on organic and natural excipients, which are more sensitive to interactions with external agents such as humidity, oxygen and light. From a primary packager point of view, packaging should be designed to ensure product stability and improve the shelf life. In our experience, these objectives can be achieved only working on both mechanical and chemical aspects. We find that plastic offers a large amount of flexibility for our applications.

PackagingInsights: What are some of the stand-out nutraceutical packaging options on the market?
Piazza: Now, on-the-go formats allow for consumption everywhere and anywhere; functional and intuitive packaging solutions enable frequent use and eye-catching designs facilitate consumer choice inside big stores. The way nutraceutical products are packed is becoming increasingly important in leading consumer choice.

PackagingInsights: Has the notion of “pill-fatigue” led to a diversification of delivery forms?
Piazza: More and more consumers are opting for liquid nutraceuticals or for nutraceuticals to be reconstituted in a powder plus liquid delivery form. This is due to a common need for ease of administration, such as for children and seniors, but for faster-consumption behaviors. Bormioli Pharma noticed this change very early on and for many years has been offering dual-chamber packaging systems.

PackagingInsights: How do Bormioli Pharma’s dual chamber systems work?
Piazza: These packaging systems include two separated chambers, cap and bottle, one containing powdered active excipients and the other a liquid solvent. The consumer can easily reconstitute the product simply by screwing down the cap and shaking the bottle: A ready-to-use packaging delivery system ideal to be used on the go. We also developed a specific plastic technology for dual chamber systems which creates a total barrier against humidity, thus minimizing product degradation and preserving the ultimate effectiveness of the nutraceutical.

PackagingInsights: Sustainability is a mega-trend driving design in packaging. How does this affect nutraceutical packaging?
Piazza: We see an excellent future for sustainable packaging in the nutraceutical sector. People who consume nutraceuticals tend to seek a healthy, balanced and sustainable lifestyle, leading to a growing demand for both natural excipients and eco-friendly packaging. Conscious of this market trend, more than ten years ago Bormioli Pharma started studying new sustainable plastic materials. As of today, we offer our customers six different solutions, including bio-degradable, plant-based and recyclable materials.

Packaging for nutraceuticals
Precision and safety are key when it comes to administering nutraceuticals, and packaging is a core part ensuring such safety for consumers. Bormioli Pharma’s dual chamber technology seeks to ensure precision upon ingredient reconstitution and, thereby, offer nutraceutical companies greater flexibility in product formulation.

As the market becomes busier with nutraceutical options, differentiation is also key. Combatting pill fatigue can be achieved with the active user experience that the dual chamber packaging options may bring, as well as its ability to be consumed on the go.

Further options outside of the classic pill delivery form include gummy vitamins. Within this space, Gummy vitamin brand vitafusion, manufactured by Church & Dwight, has become the “first in the vitamins category” to use recycle friendly shrink-film labeled packaging in the US.

By Laxmi Haigh