FAQ

Vitux is a privately owned Norwegian-based company, commercialising the ConCordix technology. The company develops, produces and markets ConCordix Soft Chew products for the global dietary supplements market with a B2B business model. Vitux headquarters is situated in Oslo, Norway. The manufacturing site is placed at Andenes in the northern part of Norway. In June 2020, the company had approximately 60 employees in Norway, in addition to its sales representatives in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region. Vitux holds almost 40 patents based on the ConCordix technology, which can be commercialized into a variety of market applications.

Vitux is a third-party manufacturer of dietary supplements and the company behind the ConCordix patents and using the ConCordix technology.

The omega-3 fatty acids in the fish oils are highly prone to oxidative degradation when exposed to oxygen, light or temperature. It is the oxidation process that causes the fish oil to become rancid, which gives a bad smell and taste of the omega-3 products. The ConCordix Smart Chews are individually sealed in aluminium blisters, providing a protective barrier against oxygen, humidity and light.

Once you open a bottle of liquid fish oil or capsules, the content will be exposed to air and this will initiate oxidation of the product. The ConCordix Smart Chews are individually sealed in aluminium blisters, providing a protective barrier against oxygen, humidity and light. This ensures a fresh, high-quality product every day. Consuming one Smart Chew, will not expose the remaining dosages in the blister to oxygen. During production of ConCordix Smart Chews, we avoid oxidation of the fish oil through a closed production unit operating under inert conditions.

ConCordix consists of a gelled emulsion of water and oil. The emulsion is stabilized using gelatin, which has the ability to form thermo-reversible gels. Gelatin is widely used in the culinary world as a gelling agent and is well known for its melt-in-the mouth texture. Besides the nice palatability, gelatine gels also have a very fast and consistent dissolution kinetics in the gastrointestinal tract. This is usually considered beneficial, as a fast dissolution and disintegration may ensure efficient absorption of the active ingredients. In addition to providing a gelled structure, gelatine also has the unique ability to absorb and stabilize oil droplets and is therefore an excellent choice as an ingredient to prepare gelled products containing small droplets of lipid oils, e.g. fish and marine oil.

The stability of the active ingredients are carefully controlled through different stability studies, both in the development process and on commercially produced products. All new active ingredients are tested in the ConCordix matrix. We also perform stability studies on custom-made formulations at the customer's request. These studies are tailor-made for each product and are dependent on the composition.

The flavour from the aroma will be quite stable, but some reduced intensity over time is expected. Some loss of flavour is noticed in most food and nutritional products over time.

For most of our products, we offer a two-year shelf life when stored below 25 °C.

All new ingredients are tested to verify that they meet Vitux's quality requirements. This includes regulatory evaluation, technical qualification and stability assessments. The procedure and timeline for incorporating new ingredients will vary based on type of ingredient and composition of the formulation. Please contact your Vitux representative for more information.

We aim to have all our suppliers certified to one of the GFSI-recognized standards (BRC, FSSC22000, IFS etc).

We can offer ConCordix Smart Chews that are made with only natural ingredients. Not all the raw materials we currently use are of natural origin. It needs to be specified from the customer if natural ingredients are required.

Yes, all ingredients used in ConCordix Smart Chews comply with the relevant EU regulations and are allowed to be used in food supplements in Europe. When required we adapt the ingredients in our formulations to local regulations eg. US, China, Russia, etc. The primary packaging materials are in compliance with the EU regulations concerning materials in contact with food.

Yes, ConCordix Smart Chews are primarily made sugar free, using sugar alcohols with low glycemic index, like xylitol, sorbitol, and erythritol. We also use other sugar-free sweeteners to modify the sweetness of the products.

Sorbitol is made from starch syrups derived from wheat or maize.

Xylitol is produced from D-Xylose. D-Xylose is a wood sugar, which is extracted from plants like maize, birch and beech trees.

Vitux follows Annex II of the EU regulation 1169/2011, which defines 14 major food allergens. Whether an allergen is present in ConCordix Smart Chews depends on the formulation requested by the customer. The following allergens are handled at the production site: Crustaceans: A hydrolysate of Calanus finmarchicus are used. No active tropomyosin (allergen) are present in the raw material. Fish: The fish oil used is highly refined and all proteins (and allergens) are removed. The fish gelatine is sourced from skin and the probability of finding allergens in the fish gelatine is low. Soy: a-tocopherol (Vitamin E) is sourced from soybean and some ingredients contain natural mixed tocopherols (E306) as antioxidants. However, natural tocopherols from soybean sources are exempt from allergen labeling.

The choice of flavour for a specific product is normally carefully discussed with the customer. Some products are easier to match with different flavours than others. If the product contains ingredients that will influence the taste of the product, the range of flavours will be more limited. We will give our recommendations based on sensory studies and experience with similar products.

No, a unique feature of ConCordix is that there is no need for preservative agents. The combination of low water activity and low pH eliminates the potential for microbiological growth in ConCordix Smart Chews.

The fish oils used in ConCordix Smart Chews are perfectly safe. The manufacturers of ConCordix fish oils follow the GOED's recommendations for limits of pollutants, which are even lower than the strict standards of the European and Norwegian authorities.

No, Vitux does not use GMO materials in the production of ConCordix Smart Chews.

The omega-3 oils we use in ConCordix Smart Chews mainly consists of the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These are found in fish, shellfish and algae, and are well known for their health benefits through years of studies. Consumption of omega-3s supports overall wellness, including heart, brain, eye, and prenatal/maternal health, and have several approved health claims (EFSA and FDA). Omega-3 fatty acids can be considered essential for the human body.

The main difference between algae oil and fish oil is that algae oil is entirely plant-based and extracted from micro algae. This means that algae oil is suitable for vegans, vegetarians, and anyone else who would prefer to not consume fish products.

Vitux offer both standard concepts, which are already qualified, and customized formulations. Our dedicated team of specialists work closely together with our customers to understand their company and their business model to serve them with the best possible solution for their needs.

Vitux is continuously working on technological improvements, increasing the portfolio of ingredients and combinations in our products. Our qualified ingredients are updated on our web site. For other enquiries, please contact your Vitux representative.

The weight of one ConCordix Smart Chew is typically between 1.4 to 1.7 grams. The technology allows a high input of marine and vegetable oils presented as small oil droplets fixated in a gelled matrix. The maximum input of oil is up to 45 %, allowing a high payload of lipid-based active ingredients.

From literature, it is known that emulsion-based delivery systems (such as ConCordix) may improve uptake and bioavailability of fat-soluble ingredients, such as vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D etc. Published studies, performed with ConCordix, shows increased uptake and bioavailability of omega-3 fatty acids compared with soft gel capsules. It is expected that the fat-soluble active ingredients will have the same bioavailability as the omega-3 fatty acids in ConCordix. For the water-soluble ingredients, we do not expect any difference in uptake compared to other delivery forms.

We position the ConCordix Smart Chew as a premium product because of its unique and patented technology. The technology provides a combination of benefits which are not offered by any other delivery system. It makes it possible to combine oil-soluble and water-soluble ingredients into a gelatine-based chewable tablet. This offers a great variety of product combinations with added natural flavours, with the ability to mask unpleasant ingredients. The emulsion-based matrix can contain high payloads of oil soluble ingredient in billions of small oily droplets, which may enhance bioavailability. At Vitux we only work with ingredients that comply with EU regulations and our internal quality standards. ConCordix Smart Chews are easy to take and sugar free.The state-of-the-art packaging material prevents the Smart Chews from oxidizing, so every single Smart Chew stays fresh throughout shelf life. The ConCordix technology gives you an opportunity to stand out in the marketplace and build a new category.

There are two types of ConCordix Smart Chews: round and oval format. The round format comes in a blister sheet of 15 chews and we offer boxes with 30, 45 and 60 Smart chews. The oval format is available in a blister sheet of 9 chews and we offer boxes containing 18, 27, 36 and 45 chews.

One important benefit of the ConCordix Smart Chews is the aluminum blister technology. This offers a protective barrier against oxygen, humidity, and light. In traditional bulk packaging (jars of gummies/soft gels etc.), the ingredients are exposed to oxygen immediately after opening. This can cause chemical degradation. The ConCordix Smart Chews are individually packed and sealed to provide the optimal condition for ingredient stability. This is also the reason why we can include high amounts of oils (DHA and EPA) in our ConCordix Smart Chews without the risk of oxidation.

ConCordix Smart Chews are developed to dissolve at body temperature and should be stored at room temperature or below. The recommended storage temperature is 5-25°. In general, it is always better for stability reasons to keep oxidative products at lower temperatures. 
You can therefore conveniently keep the ConCordix Smart Chews in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature, even though we guarantee the shelf life at 5-25 °C.

In the production of ConCordix, we use lubrication oil to prevent the Smart Chews from sticking to the top foil, and a thin oil-film on the surface may appear.

ConCordix Smart Chews should not be stored at temperatures exceeding 25 °C. If they are exposed to higher temperatures, they can melt and transform into a liquid. You can reverse this by placing your box of ConCordix Smart Chews in the refrigerator for some hours. The product quality such as sensory properties can be affected if the product is exposed to higher temperatures, and it will increase the risk of adherence to the aluminium blister. Higher temperatures can also reduce the chemical stability of the active ingredients just like in any other delivery system.

You get a Smart Chew out of the blister pack by gently piercing the lid foil with your thumb nail and push the Smart Chew out with your index finger.

The laxative effect is usually not present, because of the low amount of xylitol. However, intolerant persons can be sensitive. Xylitol is partly absorbed and metabolized in the body and the remaining fraction is fermented in the large intestine. During this fermentation process, gases are produced and may cause bloating and flatulence.

This varies and depends e.g. on the type and amount of active ingredients, intended use and regulatory recommendations.

Since the launch of ConCordix Smart Chews in early 2010, the Soft Chews are sold in many countries under different brand names. With more than 500 million ConCordix Smart Chews sold, there has not been a single report about the safety of the product nor any choking incidents. ConCordix Smart Chews are easy to chew and disintegrates into small pieces after just a few chews. The Smart Chew starts to melt at temperatures over 35°C and a potentially lodged Smart Chew will melt and be released. The water content in the Soft Chew, the smooth surface and its flat shape will also makes it less likely that the Smart Chew will orient itself in a position that may result in occlusion of the airways. Vitux AS does not recommended ConCordix Smart Chews for children below the age of 3 years. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding the use of the ConCordix Smart Chews.