Amorphization of thiamine chloride hydrochloride: A study of the crystallization inhibitor properties of different polymers in thiamine chloride hydrochloride amorphous solid dispersions

•Amorphization of thiamine chloride hydrochloride occurred in polymer dispersions.•Polymer type influenced when thiamine crystallized in the dispersions.•Non-covalent thiamine-polymer interactions promoted amorphous thiamine stability.

Amorphous solid dispersions of thiamine chloride hydrochloride (THCl) were created using a variety of polymers with different physicochemical properties in order to investigate how effective the various polymers were as THCl crystallization inhibitors. THCl:polymer dispersions were prepared by lyophilizing solutions of THCl and amorphous polymers (guar gum, pectin, κ-carrageenan, gelatin, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)). These dispersions were stored at select temperature (25 and 40 °C) and relative humidity (0, 23, 32, 54, 75, and 85% RH) conditions and monitored at different time points using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Moisture sorption isotherms of all samples were also obtained. Initially amorphous THCl was produced in the presence of ≥ 40% w/w pectin, κ-carrageenan, gelatin, and guar gum or ≥ 60% w/w PVP. Trends in polymer THCl crystallization inhibition (pectin ≥ κ-carrageenan > gelatin > guar gum ≫ PVP) were primarily based on the ability of the polymer to interact with THCl via hydrogen bonding and/or ionic interactions. The onset of THCl crystallization from the amorphous dispersions was also related to storage conditions. THCl remained amorphous at low RH conditions (0 and 23% RH) in all 1:1 dispersions except THCl:PVP. THCl crystallized in some dispersions below the glass transition temperature (Tg) but remained amorphous in others at T ~ Tg. At high RHs (75 and 85% RH), THCl crystallized within one day in all samples. Given the ease of THCl amorphization in the presence of a variety of polymers, even at higher vitamin concentrations than would be found in foods, it is likely that THCl is amorphous in many low moisture foods.

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