Definition:

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OmniMixer®Minerals premix Health Benefits:

Supermix®Minerals premix is a functional ingredient created by combining various food-grade minerals, such as calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium, and potassium, according to a specific formula. Calcium is widely used in food fortification, such as in dairy products, cereals, and beverages, as well as in nutritional supplements. Supermix®Minerals premix production process must consider component uniformity, stability, safety, and bioavailability and involves several key technologies.

Raw material control for Supermix®Minerals premix is a core element in ensuring the safety, efficacy, and stability of the final product. It requires strict control from multiple dimensions, including raw material sourcing, quality standards, pre-treatment, and compatibility verification.

Raw material control for OmniMixer®Minerals premix:

Product Specifications:

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Product quality standards:

● Food grade, Feed grade, Infant formula, In-house

▶ Maintaining bone and dental health

OmniMixer®Minerals premix Applications:

The primary components of bones and teeth are calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. A balanced ratio of these minerals in OmniMixer®Minerals premix promotes bone calcification and enhances bone density. This helps prevent conditions such as rickets in children, osteoporosis in adults, and loose teeth.

■ Supplier onboarding and dynamic management

Richtek conducts unscheduled audits of suppliers and has established a comprehensive quality control system for supplier audits. Review suppliers' production qualifications, quality systems, and historical quality records. Prioritize suppliers with a good reputation and a strong history of compliance within the industry. For key raw materials, such as selenium, iodine, and other trace minerals, require suppliers to provide proof of origin to avoid using materials of unknown origin or those that are contaminated.

OmniMixer®Minerals premix is available in the following specification and contents, customized according to requirements:

☑  OmniMixer®Minerals and vitamins premix

☑  OmniMixer®Minerals premix

OmniMixer®Minerals premix can improve nutrition and product functionality. Widely used in infant formula, functional foods and beverages, and functional foods for the elderly, as well as in baked goods and convenience foods, mineral premixes provide the minerals the human body needs. They can also be used in health and nutritional supplements to address specific health needs. They are formulated into tablets, capsules, and powders for specific populations: pregnant women (iron, calcium, folic acid, and synergistic minerals); the elderly (calcium, selenium, and magnesium to prevent osteoporosis and cardiovascular issues); and vegetarians (iron and zinc to compensate for mineral absorption deficiencies in plant-based diets). Additionally, for individuals with disease conditions or digestive absorption disorders, such as kidney disease or post-surgery patients, mineral premixes must strictly control the content of potassium, phosphorus, and sodium to avoid exacerbating metabolic burdens while ensuring an adequate supply of essential minerals.

■ Raw material quality indicator testing technology

Purity and main component testing: Richtek uses chemical analysis, such as the titration method for calcium carbonate purity, and instrumental analysis, such as atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and inductively coupled plasma emission spectrosccopy (ICP-OES), to ensure that the main components of raw materials meet standards (e.g., food-grade zinc oxide purity ≥99.0%). High-precision testing (e.g., ICP-MS) is required for trace minerals (e.g., selenium, iodine) to control content deviations within ±5%. This prevents formulation imbalances in premixes caused by variations in the concentration of raw materials.

Pollutant control: Richtek measures arsenic and mercury using atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (AFS) and lead and cadmium using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS) to ensure that the heavy metal content meets specified limits. Total bacterial count and mold/yeast are determined using plate counting methods. Pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus) are detected via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These methods ensure that microbial indicators comply with requirements. Additionally, we test for residual solvents, free acids/bases (which affect stability), and mechanical impurities in raw materials.

Physical property testing: Richtek measures the particle size distribution using a laser particle size analyzer, the bulk density, and the flowability using an angle of repose measurement. These measurements ensure that the raw materials are suitable for subsequent processes, such as mixing and granulation. For example, excessive particle size deviation can lead to uneven mixing. For moisture-sensitive materials, such as magnesium chloride, we test for moisture content and hygroscopicity. We control moisture content to ≤3% to prevent caking during storage.

Customized formulation capabilities for OmniMixer®Minerals premix:

The formula customisation technology for OmniMixer®Minerals premix is a comprehensive technical system that precisely designs the types, proportions, forms, and auxiliary components of minerals based on the target food matrix, consumer needs, regulatory standards, and functional characteristics. Its core is to achieve nutritional precision, safety and compliance, stability and efficiency, and application compatibility.

■ Target-driven formulation positioning technology

The first step in customizing OmniMixer®Minerals premix formulations is clearly defining the application scenario and core objectives.This requires analyzing the characteristics of the target food matrix and the nutritional needs of the target population. Different foods have significant differences in their requirements for the stability and compatibility of minerals due to variations in their physical and chemical environments (such as pH, water activity, and processing methods). Therefore, different dosage forms (e.g., liquid foods, solid foods, infant formula foods) require targeted designs. Different populations have significant differences in mineral requirements and absorption capacity due to factors such as age and physiological state, necessitating precise matching. Infants should prioritize easily absorbable, small-molecule forms (e.g., calcium lactate and zinc gluconate). Elderly individuals require increased calcium and selenium intake, reduced sodium content, and avoidance of high-dose iron.

Stabilisation technology for OmniMixer®Minerals premix:

The formulation of Supermix®Minerals premix must be optimised through the design of auxiliary components or process adaptation to enhance the stability of minerals during storage and processing. Based on food processing requirements and mineral characteristics, premixes are formulated into specific physical forms to enhance their dispersibility, mixing uniformity, and processing compatibility in food products.

■ Antioxidant and anti-degradation technology

We add food-grade antioxidants, such as vitamin E and ascorbic acid, to inhibit oxidation of minerals that are prone to it, such as iron and copper. For volatile minerals, such as iodine, Richtek chooses more stable compounds.

Potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium all play a role in nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction. Potassium and sodium maintain the balance of osmotic pressure between cells, which ensures normal nerve signal transmission. Calcium is essential for muscle contraction, including cardiac muscle contraction, and deficiency may lead to muscle spasms. Magnesium relaxes muscles and relieves tension.

▶ Regulating nerve and muscle function

Zinc is a regulator of the immune system that participates in the synthesis and maintenance of immune cell activity, such as that of T and B cells. A zinc deficiency can lead to reduced immunity and increased susceptibility to disease. Selenium is an antioxidant that protects immune cells from free radical damage and enhances antibody activity.

▶ Boost immunity

■ Mineral form selection and optimal formulation technology

The chemical form of minerals directly affects their bioavailability, stability, and palatability. Therefore, selecting mineral forms is a core technical consideration when customizing formulations. Richtek's selection of mineral forms is based on a thorough evaluation of these factors and cost. Organic forms, such as chelates and gluconates, generally have higher bioavailability than inorganic forms, such as sulfates and carbonates. Inorganic forms are more stable in high-temperature and high-humidity environments, making them suitable for baked and extruded foods. Organic forms are soluble in water but absorb moisture easily, making them suitable for liquid foods. Inorganic salts can produce metallic or bitter tastes, whereas organic forms have a milder taste, making them suitable for flavor-sensitive foods.

Some minerals interact with each other (e.g., calcium and iron compete for absorption), so you need to avoid this through formula design. Richtek uses inert carriers such as maltodextrin, silica, or calcium carbonate to dilute high-concentration minerals (such as potassium iodate or sodium selenite) for easy mixing. The carrier must also meet food-grade standards and not react with the minerals.

■ Moisture-proof and anti-caking technology

For highly hygroscopic minerals, such as magnesium chloride and zinc sulfate, our technical team adds anti-caking agents, such as silicon dioxide and tricalcium phosphate, or controls the formula's moisture content (≤3%) and uses hydrophobic coating materials, such as stearic acid, for coating.

■ pH adaptation technology

The solubility and stability of minerals are significantly influenced by the pH of the food matrix, requiring targeted adjustments. In acidic foods, avoid using easily soluble carbonates and prioritise calcium gluconate or calcium lactate. In alkaline foods, avoid using inorganic acid salts of iron or zinc (which tend to precipitate) and use chelated forms (e.g., sodium iron ethylenediaminetetraacetate, EDTA iron sodium, which is stable under alkaline conditions).

■ Ultra-fine grinding technology

This technology grinds blocky or coarse-grained raw materials to a specific particle size. A vibrating screen controls the uniformity of the particles, ensuring even dispersion when mixed with food ingredients. This improves subsequent mixing uniformity and human absorption efficiency.

■ Granulation technology

Powder is converted into granules through dry or wet granulation to reduce dust generation, improve flowability, and enhance mixing performance. Wet granulation involves mixing the powder with a binder to form wet granules, which are then dried and screened. Dry granulation compresses the powder directly into granules using mechanical pressure, which is suitable for moisture-sensitive minerals, such as potassium iodate.

■ Microencapsulation technology

For minerals prone to oxidation, moisture absorption, or odour (e.g., ferrous sulphate, sodium selenite), wall materials (e.g., gelatin, arabic gum, modified starch) are used to encapsulate them into microcapsules (particle size 5–50 μm), combining stability with controlled-release properties to enhance palatability.

■ Sustained-release formulation technology

By constructing sustained-release structures using carrier materials (e.g., dietary fibre, chitosan), the release of minerals during digestion is controlled to prevent short-term high concentrations of minerals from irritating the intestines.

High-precision mixing technology for OmniMixer®Minerals premix:

The mixing technology for OmniMixer®Minerals premix is a core component of the production process. Its objective is to uniformly disperse minerals with significantly different physical properties, such as calcium, iron, zinc, and selenium, which have varying particle sizes, densities, and flowabilities. This ensures consistent mineral ratios in each batch of premix. This guarantees stable and safe nutritional fortification effects when added to food products. The quality of the mixing technology directly impacts product quality, such as uniformity and stability, as well as compatibility with subsequent food processing.

■ Graded mixing technology

First, a small amount of trace elements (such as selenium and iodine) are pre-mixed with part of the carrier (‘dilution pre-mixing’), followed by the gradual addition of large amounts of components (such as calcium and magnesium) to prevent uneven dispersion of trace elements.

■ High-efficiency mixing equipment technology

OmniMixer®Minerals premix utilises double-screw conical mixers, V-type mixers, or horizontal screw ribbon mixers. By controlling mixing time, speed, and fill rate, ensure mixing uniformity (coefficient of variation CV ≤ 5%).

■ Online uniformity detection technology

OmniMixer®Minerals premix uses near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) or sampling detection to monitor mixing effectiveness in real time and prevent batch variations.