Investigation of organoleptic characteristics in the development of soft chews of calcium carbonate as mineral supplement.

The present study was aimed at developing a soft chewable dosage form for calcium carbonate for nutraceutical application. Two different types of the formulations viz., sugar based and sugar free soft chews were prepared. The effect of various ingredients on the different organoleptic characteristics (grittiness, sweetness, hardness and mouthfeel) and the emulsion stability of the dosage form were checked and evaluated on the basis of an in-house numerical scale on healthy human volunteers. The study revealed that the type of emulsifying agent, heating temperature, particle size of the drug, ratio and quantity of sugars were found to have significant impact on the organoleptic characteristics of the dosage form. The study also indicates that the proper selection of packaging material is important in order to maintain the long term integrity of the formulation.