Effervescent Vitamin C Tablets

An effervescent tablet is a delivery format rather than a different nutrient. Each tablet carries ascorbic acid (C6H8O6, CAS 50-81-7, molecular weight 176.12) at 500 mg or 1,000 mg alongside an acid-base couple, normally sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3, CAS 144-55-8, molar mass 84.006 g/mol) with anhydrous citric acid, tartaric acid, or both. On contact with water the bicarbonate and the acid react, HCO3- + H+ giving H2O and CO2, the carbon dioxide leaves the solution as gas, the tablet breaks apart and the vitamin C dissolves as a flavoured drink. The format lets a gram-level dose be delivered in a single unit and suits buyers whose customers will not swallow tablets. Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system, is the cofactor required for collagen hydroxylation, acts as a reducing agent in the aqueous phase, and improves the absorption of non-haem iron by holding it in a reduced state. Where a less acidic taste profile is wanted, part of the ascorbic acid is replaced with sodium ascorbate. Effervescent manufacture is governed by moisture. Blending, compression and packing are carried out in a humidity-controlled suite, granulation is non-aqueous where granulation is used at all, and the tooling is chosen to give a flat bevelled-edge tablet of roughly 25 mm diameter and 3.5 to 4.5 g weight that disintegrates completely in a standard 200 ml glass of water, tested to the pharmacopoeial disintegration method for effervescent tablets. Products are sugar-free as standard, sweetened with sucralose, acesulfame potassium or sorbitol and flavoured to buyer preference, with orange, lemon, mixed berry and mango the usual requests and colour taken from natural sources such as beta-carotene, beetroot or curcumin. Sodium load matters in this format because the bicarbonate is present in gram quantities, so a reduced-sodium version built on potassium bicarbonate is offered. Zinc, vitamin D3, magnesium, B-complex and rosehip or elderberry extract are common co-actives, and single or double-layer tablets can be used to separate incompatible ingredients. The primary pack is an aluminium tube of 10, 15 or 20 tablets closed with a polypropylene cap carrying a moulded desiccant plug; Alu-Alu strip packs are supplied where tube filling is not preferred. Private label covers brand, artwork, flavour, colour, tablet weight and market-specific label copy, and formulations run either from a buyer brief or from standing house formulas to keep first-order quantities workable. Batches are released with a certificate of analysis covering vitamin C assay by titration or HPLC, disintegration time, tablet weight and hardness, moisture, heavy metals and microbiology. Importers are supported with the FSSAI manufacturing licence, GMP and HACCP certificates, free sale certificate, certificate of origin, allergen and GMO statements, material safety data sheet, accelerated and real-time stability data, and halal, kosher or vegan certification where the destination market requires it.