Immunity has become a cornerstone of the nutraceutical landscape. The global immune health supplements market generated a revenue of $26,597.9 million in 2023 and is expected to reach $52,813.4 million by 2030 (CAGR≈10.3 %).1 An ageing global population, the shift toward personalised nutrition and a proactive focus on preventive health are fuelling this surge. Yet, although attention often centres on active ingredients, the key role of excipients – especially filler-binders in oral dosage forms – remains underappreciated. In today’s competitive supplement market, selecting the right excipient is crucial to ensure product effectiveness, stability and consumer appeal – especially in immune-focused formulations wherein performance and compliance matter most.
Bridging science and supplementation: the role of excipients
Far from being inert bystanders, excipients are crucial functional components that directly impact dosage form performance, regulatory compliance and overall product success. Integrating excipient science into formulation design is therefore essential for both product performance and competitive advantage in the immune-nutrition landscape.
Different excipients offer different benefits. Low-dose actives such as minerals or bioactives require high-mix uniformity. In this case, excipients like microcrystalline cellulose can help to ensure consistent distribution in oral solid dosage forms to prevent dose variability.2 Magnesium stearate is well-known as a lubricant: it prevents ingredients from sticking to manufacturing equipment and improves powder flow during tablet compression. Likewise, sodium starch glycolate acts as a disintegrant and promotes the rapid breakup of tablets in the gastrointestinal tract to enhance drug dissolution and absorption. Other excipients can interact biologically. For instance, trehalose may modulate autophagy pathways and affect immunogenicity, influencing formulation outcomes.3
To address complex formulation needs, however, multifunctional excipients are increasingly favoured. These have to offer a broad spectrum of benefits, including ease of processing, high compressibility and flowability, stability enhancement and improved sensory attributes. A prime example is isomalt, a water-soluble sugar alcohol derived from beet sugar.
Isomalt has a lower hygroscopicity than most polyols, which is significantly lower than sugar. It absorbs almost no moisture at room temperature and/or at relatively high humidity levels. Isomalt prevents hard-boiled candies and compressed tablets from becoming sticky or moist, so that even unwrapped items can be packaged together to ensure a longer shelf-life. Isomalt helps to stabilise sensitive ingredients during processing and storage. Studies show that isomalt protects proteins during freeze-drying and outperforms sucrose when it comes to maintaining enzyme activity.4
Thanks to a two-stage production process of enzymatic sucrose treatment and hydrogenation, the resulting unique molecular structure gives isomalt a sweetening profile that’s almost equal to sucrose but with half the calories.
Like sucrose, it has nearly no cooling effect. It also addresses the challenge of bitterness associated with many active ingredients. In previously published work, the authors noted that “an addition of 5% isomalt results in the same bitterness reduction as an addition of 20% sucrose. The results show the superior impact of isomalt on the reduction of the bitterness compared with that of maltitol, mannitol and sucrose.”5
Dr Michael Black, Senior Sales Manager Pharma at Beneo, comments: “As consumer preferences shift from traditional oral dosage forms to more palatable formats such as effervescent tablets, chewables or lozenges, formulation challenges multiply. Here, isomalt offers excellent compressibility and low hygroscopicity, making it highly suitable for both direct compression tablets and alternative delivery systems. Isomalt’s mild sweetness brings a better flavour release in subtle and delicate fruit flavours. In sugar-free chewing gum or fruit-flavoured hard candies, this is perfectly complemented by its low solubility, which improves flavour retention and therefore increases consumer enjoyment.” Dr Black adds: “Isomalt is the ideal multifunctional solution for modern formulation needs, particularly as user preference trends for dosage forms switch from tablets to gummies.”
Application spotlight: immune-boosting formulations
Many immune-boosting formulations contain vitamin C (ascorbic acid). The market for this ingredient is projected to reach approximately $7 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR≈8.4 % from 2025–2029.6 Michael Black states: “This growth is driven by increasing consumer awareness of the health benefits of vitamin C, including immune support, skin health, and antioxidant properties.However, manufacturing vitamin C oral dosage forms involves several challenges for manufacturers owing to the unique properties of vitamin C, which include moisture sensitivity, thermal instability, poor flow and compressibility. Additionally, vitamin C has a strong acidic taste and can interact with other ingredients.”
Pharmaceutical-grade agglomerated isomalt from Beneo (galenIQ™ 720 and galenIQ™ 721) can help to successfully address these challenges. One of the primary concerns is its sensitivity to moisture, which can lead to degradation and a subsequent loss of potency with time. This requires stringent humidity control throughout production and storage. Isomalt, because of its low hygroscopic nature, resists moisture absorption, thereby supporting the long-term stability of vitamin C formulations.
In addition to moisture sensitivity, heat stress is another critical issue. Exposure to elevated temperatures during manufacturing can degrade vitamin C, making temperature control essential to preserve its efficacy. Isomalt offers a distinct advantage here as it can be compressed at low forces with minimal heat generation; this helps to maintain the integrity of heat-sensitive ingredients such as vitamin C.
Formulating vitamin C into tablets also poses physical challenges. It has poor flowability and compressibility, which complicates tablet production. However, agglomerated isomalt, with its uniform particle size distribution, provides excellent flow and mixing properties. This not only simplifies the tableting process but also reduces or eliminates the need for additional glidants.
Another notable issue is taste. Vitamin C has a naturally strong and acidic flavour, which can be off-putting to consumers. To improve palatability, formulators often turn to flavouring agents or coatings. Agglomerated isomalt contributes significantly in this area by delivering a pleasant, sweet taste and smooth mouthfeel. When combined with high-intensity sweeteners, it offers a well-rounded sweetness that effectively masks the tartness of vitamin C.
Additionally, vitamin C is known to interact with other formulation components, which can compromise both stability and efficacy. Selecting inert and compatible excipients is crucial. In this regard, agglomerated isomalt is advantageous as it remains non-reactive with other ingredients, preserving the formulation’s overall integrity. The multifunctional properties of agglomerated isomalt address the key challenges of vitamin C formulation while enhancing product quality and consumer appeal. Given these benefits, it emerges as an ideal excipient for various vitamin C product formats, including swallowable, chewable, and effervescent tablets.
Probiotic tablets: protecting the gut’s allies
As scientific research continues to highlight the gut microbiome’s critical role in maintaining digestive health and immune function, more people are recognising the value of incorporating probiotics into their daily routines to support their well-being.
The probiotic dietary supplements segment is expected to grow at a fast CAGR of 14.2% between 2024 and 2030. Increasing health-related issues, such as blood pressure, unhealthy lifestyles, obesity and an improper diet, are expected to drive the growth of the probiotic dietary supplement industry.7
The formulation of oral dosage forms containing probiotics presents significant technical challenges that impact product stability, efficacy and regulatory compliance. Probiotic strains are inherently sensitive to a range of environmental and process-related stressors, including moisture, heat and pressure. These properties can complicate manufacturing processes such as blending, compression and encapsulation, and demand the stringent control of storage and distribution conditions. Therefore, an efficient excipient is essential.
“One major hurdle is maintaining probiotic viability throughout the product’s shelf-life,” suggests Dr Michael Black. To be effective, probiotic dosage forms must deliver an adequate number of viable micro-organisms to the gut during their claimed shelf-life. As the bacteria are sensitive to temperature, oxygen and moisture, this can be challenging. Some of these issues can be mitigated with adequate packaging and control during transport and storage; however, exposure to moisture also depends on the selected carrier.”
Agglomerated isomalt can be successfully used to compact probiotic micro-organisms into a tablet form. Requiring only low compression forces, this alleviates mechanical stress on the cultures. Supporting the viability of micro-organisms, the sweet-tasting excipient is suitable for probiotic powders, capsules and tablets. In addition, stability studies in powder mixtures with Lactobacillus rhamnosus have confirmed that galenIQ™ 721 is an ideal carrier.8 “
Herbal extracts: from sticky to stable
Plant extracts are widely utilised in immune-health-targeting oral dietary supplements because of their bioactive components, traditional usage and growing scientific validation. The global market for immune-support supplements formulated with plant extracts is witnessing robust growth, fuelled by heightened consumer awareness of preventive health and increased demand for natural, clean-label products.
In 2024, plant-based immune supplement sales were valued at approximately $2 billion and are projected to more than double to $5 billion by 2033 (CAGR≈9.9%).9 Some of the most frequently employed immune-supportive plant extracts are Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower), Andrographis paniculata (creat), Sambucus nigra (elderberry), Astragalus membranaceus (Mongolian milkvetch) and Curcuma longa (turmeric).
When incorporating plant extracts in oral dosage forms, there are generally two main hurdles – of a technical and sensorial nature – to overcome. From the technical perspective,plant extracts are often oily, difficult to compress and sensitive to moisture. Another prevalent issue is getting the desired dose into an acceptable tablet size. Plant extracts are often hygroscopic, which can present issues with storage and stability. In suboptimal conditions, they can become sticky and subsequently degrade.
From a sensory perspective, many plant extracts are challenged by a bitter or unpleasant aftertaste and/or mouthfeel. This bitterness often requires the use of taste-masking strategies, particularly in chewable dosage forms. When using oily plant extracts, a water-soluble filler-binder like isomalt enables manufacturers to overcome common formulation issues. Offering a high oil-binding capacity, agglomerate stability, as well as flowability, it acts like a sponge by absorbing the oily plant extracts and then remaining as a dry flowable powder. The excipient’s morphology helps to retain the homogeneity of the mixture and makes the production of robust tablets with a high content uniformity much easier. Plus, being water-soluble, plant extract tablets often disintegrate rapidly without the use of a super-disintegrant.
In addition, isomalt reduces the unpleasant taste of oily plant extracts, thus enhancing the palatability of the tablet and promoting compliance. “By seamlessly integrating into formulations, isomalt not only masks the inherent bitterness but also contributes to an overall improved flavour profile,” notes Dr Michael Black.
Moreover, only very low compression forces are required during the tableting process. Beneo’s galenIQ™ is suitable for low and high dosage forms and a broad range of tablet types – from chewables to orally disintegrating mini-tablets.
To explore the versatility of agglomerated isomalt, scientists at BENEO developed a simple direct compression formulation with Echinacea purpurea. Echinacea, obtained from Bionorica, is a dry-pressed juice that tends to stick together or to leave residues on tablet punches. This recipe (Table I) only comprised the extract, a filler-binder (isomalt from Beneo with a solubility of 42 g/100 g at 20 °C and a bulk density of 0.40 g/cm³) and magnesium stearate as a lubricant. To produce this tablet, no precompression step was necessary – just weighing, blending and tableting.
TABLE 1: Recipe of Echinacea tablet (80 mg) herbal extract
| Item | Component | Description | [w/w,%] | Mass per tablet [mg] | Batch mass [g] |
| 1 | Echinacea purpurea extract | Herbal extract | 32.0 | 80.0 | 480 |
| 2 | Isomalt (galenIQ™ 721) | Filler/binder | 67.0 | 167.5 | 1005 |
| 3 | Magnesium stearate | Lubricant | 1.0 | 2.5 | 15 |
Conclusion: a smart excipient for a smarter market
In the evolving landscape of immunity focused nutraceuticals, the selection of multifunctional excipients is increasingly critical for success. Beneo’s agglomerated isomalt stands out as a strategic enabler for product developers seeking to meet rising consumer expectations regarding efficacy, stability and palatability. Its low hygroscopicity, excellent compressibility and sweet taste make it particularly well-suited for complex immune health formulations, including those containing vitamin C, probiotics and plant extracts. Backed by a strong commitment to research, innovation and customer partnership, the excipient not only addresses today’s technical formulation challenges but also empowers brands to deliver science-driven, consumer-friendly solutions that support immune health across diverse delivery formats.
References:
- Immune Health Supplements Market Size & Outlook, 2030.
- Janvalkar, Mitesh & Kaloji, Purushottam & Shettigar, Rajani. (2025). Microcrystalline Cellulose in Pharmaceutical Formulations: A Comprehensive Review on Applications, Concentrations, And Functional Attributes. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 3. 3098-3112. 10.5281/zenodo.15283152.
- Excipients: not so inert? When the excipient plays the role of an active substance, as exemplified by systemic lupus – PubMed.
- Isomalt and its diastereomer mixtures as stabilizing excipients with freeze-dried lactate dehydrogenase – PubMed.
- O. Luhn, et al., Evaluation of Isomalt, Maltitol, Mannitol and Sucrose as Bitterness Suppressors in a Liquid Preparation Containing Quinine Hydrochloride,” PharmaChem September/October 8–10 (2014).
- Vitamin C Supplements Market Growth Analysis – Size and Forecast 2025-2029 | Technavio.
- Probiotics Market Size, Share & Growth Analysis Report 2030.
- Dr Maj-Britt Cepok, Boosting the taste, stability and shelf-life of probiotic supplements. Prebiotics & Probiotics, directory 2020, p.8 Prebiotics and Probiotics 2020.
- Botanical Extracts Market Size to Hit Around USD 18.89 Bn by 2034.
About the author:
Maj-Britt Cepok, PhD, Head of Pharma at Beneo, is a Food Chemistry graduate and holds a PhD in Analytical Chemistry. She has experience in both the food and pharmaceutical industries, with particular specialties in pharmaceutical development of solid dosage forms and taste profiling.
Dr Maj-Britt Cepok joined Beneo in 2005 and has held a variety of roles in global sales, technical services, product management and business development for the Pharma business unit of the company, currently leading the Pharma department.
galenIQ@beneo.com
BENEO GmbH
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