Orclever Proceedings of Research and Development

Chewable Tablet Containing Immune-Supportive Bioactive Compounds with Synergistic Effects: Ülker Everwell Force

Büşra Örnek

Continental Confectionery Company

https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5115-6651

Merve Çinsar

Continental Confectionery Company

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9793-9537

Nahide Didem Süngü

Continental Confectionery Company

https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5354-4817

İbrahim Tandoğan

Continental Confectionery Company

https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0847-1293

Gülşah Çelik

Continental Confectionery Company

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2700-4648

Mümin Alaçam

Continental Confectionery Company

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7127-7336

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56038/oprd.v7i1.756

Keywords: Dietary supplements, immune system, oral mucoadhesive system, oral mucosa, green tea extract, blueberry extract, pomegranate peel extract, propolis extract, antioxidants, antibacterial, antiviral, vitamin C, zinc, functional food matrix, Everwell Force, sorbitol-based compressed tablet, patent application, SARS-CoV-2, European Patent Office, stability studies;, synergistic effect

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Abstract

In recent years, the growing consumption of dietary supplements has accelerated research and development efforts aimed at supporting the immune system. In response to the increased demand that peaked during the pandemic, TÜBİTAK initiated studies focusing on the synergistic effects of green tea, blueberry, pomegranate peel, and propolis extracts, all of which are well-documented for their antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties. The oral mucosa, as a primary gateway to the body, plays a critical role in immune defense by acting as a barrier against microbial agents. Therefore, the developed product aims to strengthen the defense mechanism of the oral mucosa through an oral mucoadhesive system. The formulation of Ülker Everwell Force includes gum arabic, green tea extract, blueberry extract, pomegranate peel extract, propolis extract, vitamin C, and zinc. These standardized extracts are supported by literature for their antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiviral activities. According to the study conducted by Karaoğlu et al. on antiviral activity, the extracts exhibit a sevenfold increase in effectiveness when used in combination compared to their individual application. TÜBİTAK utilized this blend in a sorbitol-based compressed tablet and filed a European patent application titled “Production of Protective Lozenge/Chewable Tablet Against SARS-CoV-2 Virus” (EP23704823.6), which has received an intention-to-grant decision from the European Patent Office. In collaboration with CCC R&D Center and TÜBİTAK, the project further enhanced the mucoadhesive system by incorporating gum arabic and improved functionality through the addition of vitamin C and zinc. Unlike previous antiviral studies, this research focuses not only on the bioactive properties of Everwell Force but also on its formulation design, mucoadhesive mechanism, and stability performance as a functional food matrix.

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