Herbal Formulations

We offer the following services, according to customer requirements

• Herbal formulation using single or multiple herbs (polyherbal) to achieve greater therapeutic efficacy
• Herbal supplements or herbal-based food and beverages products are derived from the part/parts of a plant (leaves, flowers, seeds, roots, barks, stems and etc.)
• We make herbal preparations by using each and every part of the herb, such as decoction, hot infusion, cold infusion, liquid extract, powders, resins and balsams, and taila or medicated oil.
  • The herbal formulation for specific therapeutic effects such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension etc.
  • Herbal formulations for beauty and skin
  • Herbal preparation for wellness
  • Herbal preparation targeting kids, children, adolescents, adults, middle-aged and older aged.

We comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines/

• Discovery of herbal Ingredient or use your commodity to convert as a product
• Nutrient research
• Dosage formulation and strength
• Herbal formulation/ preparations
• Shelf stability studies
• Bioavailability research
• Packaging and testing
• Patient compliance
• Dossier report preparation
• Labelling and regulatory compliance
• Label artwork and design

• Co-creation from stakeholders and community input: Stop the guesswork !. Our prototype concepts come from science/evidence-based research conducted by our researchers, sensory research from panellists, competitors and product market research, and inputs from consumers through focus groups, interviews, regional-focused consumer journey mapping, and many more. Get information that allows you to make crystal clear decisions.
• Ingredient Focus: We build our prototype with the use of real, clean, fresh and authentic ingredients (such as free from an allergen, no pesticide/chemicals/toxins, non-GMO, organic, vegetarian, gluten-free, and minimally processed) without compromising on sensory appeal. By reading the article "Summarizing the degradation products with potential toxicity”, you can ensure the safety of herbal products for human consumption.
• Clean Label: No complex labelling disgusting ingredients in the formulation. We offer clean labelling with maximum transparency around any health claims by replacing fewer desirable ingredients with label-friendly ingredients.
• Sensory and Shelf Life: Our prototype meets your sensory within the sphere of physical and scientific possibility by using a unique combination of ingredients without negatively affecting their colour, taste, texture and shelf life.
• Regulatory: A prototype that meets the regulatory requirement that governs food processing, including those established by the local and international regulations (e.g., FDA and EU regulations )
• Science-Based Nutrition: An evidence-based prototype that specifically meets the targeted consumer base's nutritional requirements as per the recommended dietary allowances. This includes reduced sugar content (e.g., use of Stevia and erythritol) and low calories with added functional benefits.
• Health Claim: Functional and Health claims as per the regulatory norms (e.g., no added artificial colours or flavours, and low in sugar)

We can formulate the products in the form of a solution, suspension, emulsion, syrups, lotion, gel, cream, aqueous microdispersion, pill, Chewable and non-chewable Tablets formulations – a comprehensive range of shapes and sizes, with the sustained release – coated with film, sugar, enteric, Capsules, Gummies, Soft gels, Power blends, granules, and Sachets/stick packs. We use ingredients that offer an added value to the development and improve its indulgence and sustainability in terms of its functional ingredients, plant-based food dyes, and natural preservatives with a clean label. Refer to the article “Botanical identification characteristics using macroscopic and microscopic analysis” to know the characteristics of plant parts that will be used for herbal product development.

Our current range fits perfectly with current consumer trends that include Vegan, Vegetarian, Kosher formulas, Low sugar/sugar-free, clean label, Non-GMO, Plant-based proteins and Whole food formulations

At FRL, we develop products that address communicable and non-communicable or chronic or systemic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, cardiovascular, kidney disease and many more.

At Food Research Lab, we give significance to the following aspects of developing a successful herbal product. Any ingredient incorporated into the formulation needs to achieve its intended function in the human body at the same time, must adhere to safety guidelines. We substantiate our formulation in terms of the medicinal ingredients, quantity, recommended dose, route of administration, duration of use, dosage form, directions of use, and risk information based on pharmacopeial evidence for traditional products. The article “Importance of Assay of active compounds and markers in Herbal Products” will be useful in knowing the methodology and variables associated with the assay of active compounds and markers in herbal products.

Based on the type and category (1, 2 & 3) of herbal products, we perform safety studies, and this includes acute toxicity, long-term toxicity, organ targeted toxicity, immunotoxicity, embryotoxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity. At FRL, we substantiate this from many different types of scientific investigation, including secondary research for existing ingredients. We refer to the general literature such as handbooks specific to the individual form of therapy, official monographs such as WHO monographs and other authoritative data, and the work in reputable, peer-reviewed journals. We search both online and offline databases such as the WHO Adverse drug reaction database, National Library of Medicine’s Medline etc.

For nonpharmaceutical evidence (novel herbal formulation), we provide evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of the product from clinical studies, pharmacopoeias and textbook references and peer-reviewed articles. Along with it, we carry toxicity, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics, reproductive effects, the potential genotoxicity or carcinogenicity of an ingredient based on previous marketing experience of a finished product. Data for this will also be derived from the purity and sustainability of the components (e.g., metal test), chemical comparisons and analysis, activities (e.g., ORAC or oxygen radical absorbance activities), testing in animal models, genomic/gene expression studies, in vitro bioassays and, most compelling of all, human clinical testing. Through years of expertise and knowledge, we bring in the right solutions that fit your requirements. Know the limits of allowable limits of heavy metal in herbal preparation by accessing the article “Heavy Metals in Herbal Preparations”

We follow quality measures to ensure the products are safe from both the supplier and the buyer's perspectives by strictly complying with the globally acceptable quality standards in relevant pharmacopoeias of the specific country (e.g., Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia). We carry out well-established and acceptable Marker Chemistry (e.g., HPLC, TLC, GC etc.), which is currently sued in the quality control of traditional herbal medicinal products. Referring to the article “Chromatographic Profiling Techniques used in Plant Identification” will help to know more details about output of the chromatographic profiling such as TLC, HPLC, and GLC. Further, we conduct microbial (e.g., Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, Pseudomonas, aflatoxin, mycotoxin, Salmonella, Escherichia Coli – 101 for the finished product, 104 for raw material), heavy metal analysis (e.g., contamination due to heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium kept below the regulatory limits), Contamination (e.g., metal flakes from machinery), physical characteristics (e.g., powders for tablets must have low moisture content), toxicological, clinical trial data, excipients (e.g. antimicrobial preservatives, antioxidants), and stability (e.g., the time for a product from initial production). We use compendium methods (USP and European Pharmacopeia) for an extensive validation process. For instance, for our client in Europe, Food Research Lab(FRL) research team offer bibliographic evidence to show that product has been in medicinal use for at least 30 years, including at least 15 years within the European community. To confirm the quality and safety of products we made, refer to the article “Summarizing the Marker Substances, methodologies, and Purposes”.

We follow a specific set of regulations that a product must adhere to. This includes manufacturing flow chart, solvents, quantitative ingredient lists, physical characteristics, GMO status, certifications, radiations, pesticide/chemical/ residue, contaminants, microbiology, allergens, animal derivation, and safety (Standard Material Safety Data Sheet – toxicity or clinical testing). We ensure to clear the ingredient supplier completes clearance through the target country’s regulatory agency prior to its inclusion in formulas. To know more about the regulatory guidelines, refer to the article Regulations and guidelines governing the maximum allowable limits of heavy metals in herbal products.

Through our years of experience, our team can speed up the acceptance and inclusion of new material. Our product development team complies with the Drug and Cosmetic Act (1945), India and AYUSH guidelines, CGMP guidelines, FDA, Dietary supplement Health and Education Act for ingredients and labelling.; EU guidelines, Natural Health Product Directorate (NHPD), Canada etc.

Having a well-designed program backed by flawless data is essential for maintaining control over your product’s quality from start to end. We perform quality assurance testing through our full-service laboratory, The Food Research Lab, to assist you in verifying that your formulation prototype’s consistent quality is an advantage to your business. Microbiology analysis, nutritional analysis, and diverse food chemistry analyses are some of the services we provide to our clients.

We deliver nutritional products for sensory and master data records of product, process and packaging information. This includes raw material specifications (type/subtype), metal testing, nutritional analysis, physical/chemical data, kosher/Halal information, GMO Status, microbiological status, supplier information, vendor ingredient line declarations, vendor warrants and guarantees, cost data, certificate analysis of requirement, regulatory data, test methods, allergen data, shipping and handling info, safety document (MSDS or SDS), proprietary info, sensory and quality information.

We have a list of vendors who can supply us with the product required for an R&D. All our vendors have been scrutinised based on the stringent quality criteria in terms of certificates they hold and the experience they have in the product line. We ensure 99% consistency in all the ingredients and will share the final list of ingredients and the vendor lists as part of our SOP. We consider more than one supplier of the same product to test quality and cost-effectiveness. If more than one supplier is used, tight product specifications will be followed. However, all ingredients will undergo basic testing before it moves to the product development phase.

Our sensory examination leads to the precise formulation and recipe recommendations. We develop data-driven design models based on sensory research and customer insights. The fact-based design methodology used by FRL reduces risk and gives our clients market confidence while cutting development time in half. With our dedicated sensory lab facility, our team takes satisfaction in creating and optimizing successful products in the marketplace, generating a favourable return on investment, and developing brand advocates

We have an in-house dedicated multidisciplinary team with expertise in food science, consumer and sensory science research, microbiology, ingredient development, biochemistry, culinary arts, regulatory, and manufacturing design. As such, we can deliver a high-calibre product with the expertise of emerging and cutting-edge technologies (e.g. technologies in food preservation - High Hydrostatic pressure methodology HHP, dielectric heating, pulsed light, bacteriocins; extractive emerging technologies: ultrasound-assisted extraction, ohmic heating, high pressure, supercritical fluid extraction and microwave-assisted extraction) and suitable facilities to conduct scientific and technical tests. Our experts are very facile around new food product development with vast categories of herbal product lines.