{"id":19145,"date":"2026-06-17T17:10:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T10:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tibdglobal.com\/product\/syrup-stability\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T15:25:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T08:25:20","slug":"syrup-stability","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.tibdglobal.com\/en\/product\/syrup-stability\/","title":{"rendered":"Herbal Powder and Syrup Stability Testing Service"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Herbal powders and syrups are two dosage forms regulated under the Thai Herbal Product Act B.E. 2562 (2019) that are particularly sensitive to the high temperature and humidity of ASEAN Zone IVb. Herbal Powder products prepared by spray drying, freeze drying, or direct milling of dried herbs present challenges including moisture absorption, Caking, Hygroscopicity, Maillard reaction, and microbial growth. Herbal Syrup products formulated with sugar, honey, or polyols as the main vehicle present challenges including microbial growth, sedimentation of suspended herb particles, glycoside hydrolysis, pH change, and Brix drop from sucrose inversion under acidic conditions and elevated temperature.<\/p>\r\n

TIBD’s service is designed specifically for Herbal Powder and Syrup dosage forms, covering Moisture Content, Water Activity, Particle Size, Hygroscopicity by Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) Sorption Isotherm, pH, Brix by Refractometer, Viscosity, Sedimentation Rate, Microbiology including Total Microbial Count, Yeast and Mold Count, and Preservative Efficacy Test (PET) per ISO 11930, Marker Compound Assay by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), TLC Fingerprinting, and GC-MS for Volatile Compounds under ASEAN Zone IVb conditions per ICH Q1A(R2), in partnership with VISBIO as an Independent Quality Assurance Verifier (IQAV) using Validated Methods per ICH Q2(R1).<\/p>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]\n\t\t

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<\/span>Herbal Powder and Syrup Product Types in the Thai and ASEAN Market<\/span><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t[vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]\r\n

Nine product types covering the main Herbal Powder and Syrup formats are commercially produced in Thailand and the ASEAN region.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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  • Spray-Dried Herbal Extract Powder is produced by atomizing a liquid herbal extract into a heated drying chamber where the droplets evaporate rapidly to form hollow microspheres. Spray-dried powders have high surface area and are highly hygroscopic; they require strict Moisture Content and Water Activity control and appropriate packaging to prevent Caking during storage.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Freeze-Dried Herbal Extract Powder (Lyophilized Powder) is produced at low temperature and pressure, preserving thermolabile Marker Compounds such as Asiaticoside and enzymes better than spray drying. Freeze-dried powders are very porous and highly hygroscopic. They are typically filled into sachets or capsules rather than stored as bulk powder.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Whole Herb Powder is produced by milling dried herb material to a defined particle size range. This format contains the full herb matrix including fiber, starch, and cell wall material. Whole Herb Powders for direct consumption or sachet use require Moisture Content control and Aflatoxin monitoring, particularly for ginger, turmeric, and black pepper.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Instant Herbal Powder (Soluble Sachet) is produced by blending spray-dried extract with soluble carriers such as Maltodextrin, Inulin, or Sucrose and packaging in foil-laminate sachets. Stability challenges include moisture absorption causing Caking, Maillard browning between reducing sugars and amino acids, and aroma loss from volatile Marker Compound degradation.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Traditional Herbal Syrup is produced by decocting dried herbs in water and concentrating with sugar or honey to achieve a Brix of 50 to 70\u00b0Bx. This format is widely used in Thai traditional medicine for respiratory, digestive, and tonic preparations and is registered under the Thai National Formulary.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Contemporary Herbal Syrup uses a standardized herbal extract in a formulated syrup base with Xanthan Gum or Carbomer as suspending agent, Sodium Benzoate or Potassium Sorbate as preservative, and Citric Acid or Lactic Acid for pH adjustment. This format allows quantitative Marker Compound claims on the label.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Honey-Based Herbal Syrup incorporates honey as both the main vehicle and natural preservative. The stability of honey-based syrups depends on the Water Activity of the honey, which must be below 0.6 to prevent yeast fermentation. Monitoring Brix and Water Activity is particularly important for this format.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Pediatric Herbal Syrup is formulated for children with a lower sugar concentration, pleasant taste masking, and age-appropriate dosing per unit volume. The microbial stability of pediatric syrups is critical because of the repeated opening and closing of the bottle during use; In-use Stability testing is required to confirm microbial safety throughout the in-use period.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Herbal Syrup for Cough, Respiratory, and Tonic Applications represents the highest-volume category of herbal syrup products in Thailand, with registered products based on Andrographis paniculata, Clinacanthus nutans, Morinda citrifolia, Zingiber officinale, and Thai traditional formula combinations. These products must comply with THP 2021 monograph specifications and Thai FDA Herbal Product Act requirements.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”19004″ img_size=”full” parallax_scroll=”no” woodmart_inline=”no”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]\n\t\t
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    <\/span>Specific Stability Challenges in Tropical Climates<\/span><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t[vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]\r\n

    Eight stability challenges specific to Herbal Powders and Syrups must be addressed in a stability protocol designed for ASEAN Zone IVb conditions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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    1. The first challenge is Hygroscopicity and Caking in Herbal Powder products. Spray-dried and freeze-dried herbal powders absorb moisture rapidly from the ambient environment, increasing Water Activity above the 0.6 safety threshold and causing individual powder particles to stick together into hardened lumps (Caking). Hygroscopicity is measured quantitatively by Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) Sorption Isotherm, which maps the moisture absorption behavior of the powder across a range of relative humidity values. This data informs the selection of packaging material and desiccant requirements for the product.<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. The second challenge is Maillard reaction in powder products containing both reducing sugars and amino acids. The Maillard reaction is a non-enzymatic browning reaction between carbonyl groups from reducing sugars (Glucose, Fructose, Maltose) and free Amino Groups from amino acids or proteins in the herbal extract, producing brown-colored melanoidin compounds and characteristic aroma changes. Maillard browning is accelerated by elevated temperature and moisture. Color change is assessed by CIE La<\/em>b* Colorimetry.<\/li>\r\n \t
    3. The third challenge is aroma and flavor change in Herbal Powders and Syrups from degradation of Volatile Compounds. Essential oil constituents including Terpenes, Phenylpropanoids, and Sesquiterpenes evaporate or degrade under elevated temperature storage, causing loss of characteristic aroma and taste. Volatile Compound stability is monitored by GC-MS headspace analysis.<\/li>\r\n \t
    4. The fourth challenge is microbial growth in Herbal Syrups, particularly in pediatric and honey-based formulations. Syrups with Brix below 50\u00b0Bx or Water Activity above 0.6 are susceptible to yeast and mold contamination during shelf life. Preservative Efficacy Test (PET) per ISO 11930 confirms that the preservative system maintains microbial control throughout the product life, including the In-use period.<\/li>\r\n \t
    5. The fifth challenge is Sedimentation and phase separation of suspended herb particles in Herbal Syrups. Suspended particulates settle over time under gravitational force, producing a sediment layer that may be difficult to re-suspend and that causes non-uniform dosing. Sedimentation Rate is assessed by visual observation and by Turbidimeter measurement at each Pull Point.<\/li>\r\n \t
    6. The sixth challenge is glycoside hydrolysis in acidic Herbal Syrups. The glycosidic bond of herbal Marker Compounds such as Andrographoside, Baicalin, and Glycyrrhizin is cleaved by acid hydrolysis under the low pH and elevated temperature conditions of tropical storage, releasing the aglycone. Stability Indicating HPLC methods must resolve the parent glycoside from its aglycone degradation product.<\/li>\r\n \t
    7. The seventh challenge is pH change and sucrose inversion in sugar-based Herbal Syrups. Sucrose undergoes acid-catalyzed hydrolysis to Glucose and Fructose (inversion) under acidic conditions and elevated temperature, causing a decrease in Brix and a change in sweetness profile. A pH drop of more than 0.5 units or a Brix drop of more than 5% from the initial value is considered significant and indicates formulation or packaging instability.<\/li>\r\n \t
    8. The eighth challenge is Marker Compound degradation. The HPLC assay must confirm that the Marker Compound content is maintained throughout the declared shelf life for both powder and syrup dosage forms. Degradation rates in liquid (syrup) formulations are generally faster than in solid dosage forms due to greater molecular mobility and direct contact with water.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”18999″ img_size=”full” parallax_scroll=”no” woodmart_inline=”no”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]\n\t\t
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      <\/span>Testing Parameters for Herbal Powder<\/span><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t[vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]\r\n

      Moisture Content is measured by Karl Fischer Titration or Loss on Drying. The acceptance criterion for spray-dried herbal extract powders is 3 to 5%. Moisture Content exceeding 5% is associated with Caking, accelerated Maillard browning, and increased microbial risk.<\/p>\r\n\r\n