Toothpastes are usually either white abrasive pastes or clear gels. Although the formulation varies, many of their ingredients are common. These may vary from country to country, depending on the laws regarding the use of ingredients, etc.
Manufacturing process
- The processing methods vary depending on the type of product and the ingredients used. A typical process can be described as follows:
- First, the base liquid is prepared – water, sorbitol/glycerin and other liquid ingredients
- Rheology modifiers may be pre-mixed with a non-aqueous liquid such as glycerin or flavoring oil or mixed with other powdered ingredients to aid dispersion.
- The active ingredient, sweetener and preservative are added and dispersed.
- Abrasive/filler is added, which may be prepared as a water slurry or pre-mixed with water to make it compatible with the liquid base.
- Flavoring, color and essence are added.
- In the last step, the detergent is gradually added with slow, rapid mixing to minimize foaming. This step is typically done in solid form, so avoid adding water to the formulation at this stage.
Process Challenges
Bubbling is a major problem in toothpaste production. All powders contain a certain amount of air and detergents can exacerbate the problem. To overcome this, mixing is usually done under vacuum. Other problems that can be seen include:
- Rheology modifiers cause lumps to form that are difficult to break up with a mixer.
- Adding the compound to other liquid or powder ingredients increases process time and costs.
- Some rheology modifiers require high shear stress to achieve maximum efficiency.
- Some ingredients, such as hydrated silica, have low densities and are very difficult to mix and wet.
- Conventional mixers, especially when mixing powders, introduce air into the mix.
- Abrasives such as calcium carbonate can be supplied as a slurry and the mixing equipment must be able to break them apart.
Solution provided by Arkan Felez Company
Manufacturing of all types of toothpaste can be done using Arkan Felez Company’s vacuum homogenizer mixer. The high viscosity and abrasiveness of toothpaste make it necessary to use high-power homogenizers as well as high-speed lump breaker mixers manufactured by Arkan Felez Company.
Key points
- Prepare the liquid base before adding fillers and abrasives.
- Before adding detergents and thickeners, mix the mix thoroughly, especially in cases where fillers such as calcium carbonate are used as water dough.
Advantages of using a vacuum homogenizer mixer
- Manufacturing time is significantly reduced.
- Rapid mixing and wetting of powders.
- Product quality and stability are greatly improved.
- With the vacuum operation of the homogenizer mixer, the possibility of product bubbling can be minimized.
- At the end of the process, deaeration of the process components is possible.