Smart tech solution for traditional Chinese medicine dispenser, encapsulation technology boost for ACG World

07 Oct 2020 --- Farlong Pharmaceutical is now offering an intelligent traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) granules dispensing system and drop-ship service for licensed practitioners. In another smart-tech solution, ACG World has harnessed its AF 40T capsule filling machine to encapsulate powder-based vitamin C with a probiotic, known as “incompatible” ingredients.

Farlong’s first automated dispensing system secures ingredient safety with a built-in error checking and visual-audio verification system. This ensures the right TCM herbs are dispensed, which in turn eliminates human error.

The system’s built-in herb database, measurement system and auto-dispensing mechanism provides precise dosages per prescription. Moreover, the drop-ship service offers patients a way to receive prescriptions quickly, as same-day shipment is available for US orders received before 2 pm Pacific Time.

The AF 40T facilitates customized encapsulated dosage combinations.“Now more than ever, our auto herb granule dispensary system is proving beneficial to both practitioners and patients,” Jing Struve, CEO and executive director of Farlong Pharmaceutical. 

“The fast, reliable service takes the burden off of practitioners, and they can rest assured their patients are receiving the highest quality herbs expedited in a quick manner.”

“Finicky” formulas
The dietary supplements landscape is home to ingredient combinations that “don’t always play well together,” says John Carey, vice president of sales for ACG Engineering.

“Smart segregation solutions like capsule-in-capsule filling will become increasingly sought-after.” 

ACG’s encapsulation technology was needed in the case of a customer whose supplement included a mix of probiotics and vitamin C, which is known to be chemically unstable. It also easily decomposes when exposed to heat, moisture, or the types of microorganisms inherent in probiotics. 

The formulation called for a larger capsule containing powder-based ascorbic acid and probiotic, reverting to the AF 40T – that can produce 40,000 capsules per hour – with a special inner-into-outer capsule filling attachment. 

The attachment allows capsules to be loaded into hoppers, from where they flow into reservoirs and are guided employing baffle plates to a soft gel magazine. 

The magazine then releases the capsules using mechanical fingers in the upper and lower stage that alternate between holding and releasing the capsules into sliding plates. Then, these transfer the capsules into the diverter block, which directs the smaller capsules into the larger ones.

Tech boom
Technology was all the rage at Future Food-Tech’s online summit last month, which focalized how technological solutions can be harnessed to drive everything from personalized nutrition, to COVID-19 and gut health.

In the past week alone, the nutrition industry has seen AI-powered food search and discovery technology start-up Spoon Guru secure a Series A funding round, while Cellibre Inc. closed financing to commercialize its technology to improve the sourcing, production and consumption of fermented cannabinoids.

By Anni Schleicher