Methods of production of arginine-silicate complexes
Methods of manufacturing inositol-stabilized arginine-silicate (“ASI”) complexes with reduced or eliminated clumping and with increased solubility.
1. A method of manufacturing an inositol-stabilized arginine-silicate (“ASI”) complex with reduced clumping and increased solubility, wherein the method comprises:
combining arginine with a silicate salt and inositol;
heating the combined arginine, silicate salt, and inositol mixture;
mixing the arginine, silicate salt, and inositol mixture at temperature of at least about 30° C.;
after mixing, heating the mixture to a temperature of at least about 80° C. whereby this temperature is maintained for at least about 4 minutes;
cooling the mixture to a temperature of no less than about 55° C.;
spray drying the mixture at a temperature of at least about 80° C.; and
further comprising the step of tuning colloidal interactions in the mixture to produce an ASI product having particle size distribution as follows:
98% of the particles are of a size and shape to pass through a 125 micron mesh size and approximately 67% of particles are of sizes between about 0.1 μm and about 75 μm, and approximately 33% of particles are of sizes between about 76 μm and about 200 μm.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting a synthesis temperature or temperatures, and making adjustments to a rotary or nozzle atomizer to obtain the particle size distribution.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray drying is micronization.
4. The ASI complex of claim 1 comprising at least 50% of particles with sizes between about 0.1 μm and about 75 μm, and approximately 50% between about 76 μm and about 200 μm.
5. A beverage comprising an inositol-stabilized arginine-silicate (“ASI”) complex, wherein the ASI complex has a particle size distribution wherein 98% of the particles are of a size and shape to pass through a 125 micron mesh size, wherein the ASI complex has increased solubility and reduced clumping.
6. The beverage of claim 5 , wherein the beverage is a nutritional beverage or a sport beverage.
7. The beverage of claim 5 , wherein the ASI complex comprises a mixture of particles wherein approximately 67% of particles are of sizes between about 0.1 μm and about 75 μm, and approximately 33% of particles are of sizes between about 76 μm and about 200 μm.
8. The beverage of claim 5 , wherein the ASI complex comprises at least 50% of particles with sizes between about 0.1 μm and about 75 μm, and approximately 50% between about 76 μm and about 200 μm.