Vitex products are manufactured to the highest international pharmaceutical standards following GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and GLP (Good laboratory Practice).
Each sub-contractor to Vitex must have a current Health Canada Site Licence or FDA GMP license. On site plant inspections by our quality control manager to verify the standards is required as are periodic spot inspections. Each sub-contractor must incorporate the most advanced technology using heat free, solvent free processes.
Vitex's Canadian production partner is Dr. Ma's Laboratories Inc. because of their very high standards in manufacturing, quality control and research & development.
Laboratory Analysis
Raw materials selected for the Vitex formulations must meet the highest standards of purity and potency and must fully comply with international GMP standards and be manufactured by companies who are registered with recognized international certification organizations such as United States FDA or Health Canada.
Vitex's quality control manager maintains quality control standards for all raw materials used in the production of Vitex formulas.
Tablet manufacturing
A key process in the manufacture of Vitex tablets such as SOURCE Optimum is the use of “High Density Roller Compaction”. This advanced technology avoids the use of high temperature granulation and the use of organic solvents. The compactor houses grooved, counter-rotating rollers pressed tightly against one another by hydraulic pressure. Raw materials are placed into the hopper of the compactor and are fed by a system of horizontal and vertical screws into these rollers. As the materials pass through the grooves in the rollers, the materials are compacted under high pressure and emerge from the compactor as dense pellets. The pellets are then milled into a granular powder, and then they are passed through a series of vibrating screens to produce a uniform, free flowing granulation.
The roller compactor process results in a finished powder that is 2-3 times denser than the starting material. The compactor allows the production of smaller tablets resulting in a tablet that is easier to swallow and therefore more desirable to consumers.
The roller compactor alters the flow characteristics of raw materials, making them easier to use in making tablets. This results in a uniform dispersion of the nutrients in the tablets. This is extremely important, because uniform dispersion of nutrients enhances nutrient bioavailability.
The ability to alter flow characteristics makes the compactor ideal for use in dry granulation of raw materials. Wet granulation, the traditional industry standard for preparing materials for tablets and capsules, requires the use of alcohol solvents and high temperature drying to achieve the necessary material characteristics.
“High Density Roller Compaction” completely eliminates the need for this destructive process. Without further protection, some of the nutrients could be damaged by exposure to the atmosphere. This can reduce their activity and allow oxidation, which may cause some of the ingredients to be chemically altered and producing undesirable breakdown products such as free radicals.
Tablet Coating
After compaction, blending and pressing, tablets are coated with a protective layer using an advanced coating machine. This coating is made from a special vegetable cellulose complex, carrageenan and purified water. No organic solvents are used at all. Thus, the coating is hypoallergenic and free from chemicals or sugar that can cause allergies in sensitive people. In addition to its protective action, the coating process gives the tablets a smooth, slippery finish making them easier to swallow than conventional tablets.
Packaging
Finally, Vitex tablets and capsules are packaged in PETE bottles. PETE provides a superior moisture and oxygen barrier compared to the more common HDPE plastic that many vitamin manufacturers use.
To add a further degree of protection every bottle of tablets contains a silicon desiccant. The desiccant absorbs any moisture that may enter the bottle during manufacturing and prevents deterioration of the tablets.
Capsule Formulas
Many Vitex products are presented in capsule form. Capsules are in four forms:
- SOFT GELATIN CAPSULES: which are necessary for liquid or oil forms of nutrients such as SOURCE Omega 3•6•9. Vitex specifies gelatin from 100% bovine sources and is certified Halal and Kosher. Artificial preservatives, colours, sweeteners and flavors are not used.
- VEGAN SOFT CAPSULES: which are suitable for Vegan Omega 3-6-9 or Gamma E Alpha. Vegan soft capsules use a new technology based on Non-GMO cassava (tapioca) starch which offers superior thermal stability over gelatin.
- VEGAN TWO PIECE HARD CAPSULES: Vitex uses NPCaps, which are 100% vegetarian and suitable for formulas where dissolution in the stomach is desired.
- VEGAN TWO PIECE DELAYED RELEASE CAPSULES: Vitex uses DRcaps, which are designed to dissolve in the small intestine. This new technology eliminates the costly capsule and tablet enteric coating which uses plasticizers containing phthalates and which requires the use of heat and solvents which can adversely affect the active ingredients in the formula. Vitex’s C-NAG, Serrapeptase, CoQ10, Cardio-Boost, Gluco Balance and Vita-Zyme formulas are greatly improved by using the new DRcaps.
Amino Acid Chelate Minerals
Enzyme amino acid technology has made possible the creation of minerals that are better assimilated, retained and utilized than ever before. When purchasing vitamin/mineral supplements, choose those formulae such as the SOURCE, where the minerals are properly chelated and synergistically balanced.
Vitex uses Amino Acid Chelated Minerals from Kelatron. For details read: Kelatron Product Brochure