Continuous integrated production of glucose granules with enhanced flowability and tabletability

Glucose is widely used in both the food and pharmaceutical industry. However, the application of industrially crystallized glucose in solid dosage forms is challenged by its poor flowability and tabletability. To improve these characteristics continuous twin-screw granulation was tested, which has the potential to be integrated into the continuous production of solid glucose from corn starch.

Highlights

• Continuous granulation, milling, and drying were performed with dextrose monohydrate.
• The flowability and tabletability of the glucose monohydrate were enhanced.
• Pure glucose granules were produced without extra excipients.
• The breaking force of the prepared tablets was increased from 40 N to over 100 N.
• Real-time in-line monitoring of the moisture content was accomplished.

A completely continuous manufacturing line (including drying and milling) was developed and the different production steps were examined and synchronized. Our line was supplemented with an in-line applicable near-infrared spectroscopic probe to monitor the moisture content of the milled granules in real-time. The flowability and tabletability of the powder improved significantly, and tablets with acceptable breaking force (greater than 100 N) could be prepared from the granules. The developed continuous line can be easily installed into the industrial solid glucose production process resulting in pure glucose granules with adequate flow properties and tabletability in a simple, continuous and efficient way.

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Petra Záhonyi, Edina Szabó, András Domokos, Anna Haraszti, Martin Gyürkés, Erzsébet Moharos, Zsombor K. Nagy, Continuous integrated production of glucose granules with enhanced flowability and tabletability, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Volume 626, 2022, 122197, ISSN 0378-5173,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122197.