Many of the nutritional ingredients that support our immune, digestive and cardiovascular systems often taste bitter or sour. This presents a problem since taste is one of the main features consumers value in their dietary supplements – if a supplement tastes bad, consumers may eliminate it from their regimen entirely. And when it comes to botanical ingredients, which often possess earthy flavors, getting the taste just right becomes an even greater challenge.

Consider the gummy: Many supplement manufacturers add large amounts of sugar when preparing this delivery format to compensate for unpleasant tastes. Some vitamins pack up to 8 grams of sugar per serving, 32% of the recommended daily intake. As consumers become more health conscious, many are looking for supplements with little to no sugar, posing a challenge for manufacturers. Alternatively, for tablets, hard and soft capsules, manufacturers are challenged to ensure the exterior coatings don’t create a chalky taste, while also allowing for lubricity, easy swallowability and a shelf stability.

When you partner with us, our extensive pharmaceutical background paired with our broad portfolio means you have a wide range of taste masking techniques at your fingertips. Instead of attempting to mask the flavor of nutritional ingredients with excessive sweeteners, we work with our customers to complement the natural taste. And we allow you to effectively coat a tablet or capsule without reducing its functionality. Together, our team of global experts will help you overcome your manufacturing challenges and customize formulations to create a great-tasting supplement every time.