ALBERT

Description: Thiamine is an essential micronutrient, but delivery of the vitamin in supplements or foods is challenging because it is unstable under heat, alkaline pH, and processing/storage conditions. Although distributed as a crystalline ingredient, thiamine chloride hydrochloride (TClHCl) likely exists in the amorphous state, specifically in supplements. Amorphous solids are generally less chemically stable than their crystalline counterparts, which is an unexplored area related to thiamine delivery. The objective of this study was to document thiamine degradation in the amorphous state. TClHCl:polymer dispersions were prepared by lyophilizing solutions containing TClHCl and amorphous polymers (pectin and PVP (poly[vinylpyrrolidone])). Samples were stored in controlled temperature (30–60 °C) and relative humidity (11%) environments for 8 weeks and monitored periodically by X-ray diffraction (to document physical state) and HPLC (to quantify degradation). Moisture sorption, glass transition temperature (Tg), intermolecular interactions, and pH were also determined. Thiamine was more labile in the amorphous state than the crystalline state and when present in lower proportions in amorphous polymer dispersions, despite increasing Tg values. Thiamine was more stable in pectin dispersions than PVP dispersions, attributed to differences in presence and extent of intermolecular interactions between TClHCl and pectin. The results of this study can be used to control thiamine degradation in food products and supplements to improve thiamine delivery and decrease rate of deficiency.

Description: This study investigated thiamine degradation in thiamine mononitrate (TMN):polymer solid dispersions, accounting for the physical state of the vitamin and the recrystallization tendency of TMN in these dispersions. Results were compared with those from solid dispersions containing a different salt form of thiamine (thiamine chloride hydrochloride (TClHCl)). TMN:polymer dispersions were prepared by lyophilizing solutions containing TMN and amorphous polymers (pectin and PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone)). Samples were stored in controlled temperature and relative humidity (RH) environments for eight weeks and monitored periodically by X-ray diffraction and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Moisture sorption, glass transition temperature (Tg), intermolecular interactions, and pH were also determined. Similar to the TClHCl:polymer dispersions, thiamine was more chemically labile in the amorphous state than the crystalline state, when present in lower proportions in amorphous TMN:polymer dispersions despite increasing Tg values, when environmental storage conditions exceeded the Tg of the dispersion, and when co-formulated with PVP compared to pectin. When thiamine remained as an amorphous solid, chemical stability of thiamine did not differ as a function of counterion present (TMN vs. TClHCl). However, storage at 75% RH led to hydration of thiamine:PVP dispersions, and the resulting pH of the solutions as a function of thiamine salt form led to a higher chemical stability in the acidic TClHCl samples than in the neutral TMN samples.

Description: Thiamine (vitamin B1) is an essential micronutrient in the human diet, found both naturally and as a fortification ingredient in many foods and supplements. However, it is susceptible to degradation due to heat, light, alkaline pH, and sulfites, among effects from other food matrix components, and its degradation has both nutritional and sensory implications as in foods. Thiamine storage stability in solution was monitored over time to determine the effect of solution pH and thiamine concentration on reaction kinetics of degradation without the use of buffers, which are known to affect thiamine stability independent of pH. The study directly compared thiamine stability in solutions prepared with different pHs (3 or 6), concentrations (1 or 20 mg/mL), and counterion in solution (NO3−, Cl−, or both), including both commercially available salt forms of thiamine (thiamine mononitrate and thiamine chloride hydrochloride). Solutions were stored at 25, 40, 60, and 80 °C for up to one year, and degradation was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) over time, which was then used to calculate degradation kinetics. Thiamine was significantly more stable in pH 3 than in pH 6 solutions. In pH 6 solutions, stability was dependent on initial thiamine concentration, with the 20 mg/mL thiamine salt solutions having an increased reaction rate constant (kobs) compared to the 1 mg/mL solutions. In pH 3 solutions, kobs was not dependent on initial concentration, attributed to differences in degradation pathway dependent on pH. Activation energies of degradation (Ea) were higher in pH 3 solutions (21–27 kcal/mol) than in pH 6 solutions (18–21 kcal/mol), indicating a difference in stability and degradation pathway due to pH. The fundamental reaction kinetics of thiamine reported in this study provide a basis for understanding thiamine stability and therefore improving thiamine delivery in many foods containing both natural and fortified thiamine.