Influence of temperature and humidity on the degradation process of ascorbic acid in vitamin C chewable tablets

Ascorbic acid (AA) is the active ingredient of vitamin C chewable tablets. It is unstable even at room temperature, and increased temperature and humidity rapidly increase its degradation. To protect the active substance, we made its coating with polymers ethyl cellulose that provides its thermal protection and protection from moisture. We bet each particle of AA with a layer of polymer by the method of fluidization. Extra protection against thermal effects and penetration of moisture and oxygen provides the packaging. By using four kinds of packaging: polypropylene container for tablets, strips of aluminum and polyvinyl chloride Al/PVC strips, glass bottles, and strips of aluminum and polyethylene (Al.PE/PE.Al) of 3, of 6 months and of 12 months. One of the tablets are stored at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C/60% RH ± 5%), and the rest in terms of accelerated aging or increased temperature and humidity (30 ± 2 °C/65% RH ± 5% and 40 ± 2 °C/75% RH ± 5%). The speed of degradation of unprotected AA usually get doubled when there is increasing of the temperature for every 10 °C. Experimentally the concentration of AA was monitored, its oxidation product-dehydroascorbic acid and its degradation product-diketogulonic acid.