If you’ve read our breakdown of Nu-FLOW® vs. Silicon Dioxide, you already know that Nu-FLOW delivers clean label anticaking and free-flow performance across most dry supplement applications — without the synthetic baggage of SiO₂. But supplement formulation isn’t one-size-fits-all. When your formula contains high-oil ingredients like fish oil, vitamin E, CoQ10, or oil-rich botanical extracts, the demands on your flow agent go well beyond what standard anticaking can handle. That’s exactly why we developed Nu-SORP™.
Nu-SORP is the next step in RIBUS’s clean label excipient lineup — purpose-built for the formulations where Nu-FLOW reaches its limits.
Why Nu-FLOW Has Limits in High-Oil and High-Moisture Formulas
Nu-FLOW® is an exceptional anticaking agent for the vast majority of dry supplement applications. Derived from rice hull ash, it keeps powders free-flowing, prevents clumping, and replaces silicon dioxide with a USDA Organic, Non-GMO verified ingredient that labels cleanly as a natural anticaking agent.
But oil changes everything.
When a formula includes high-oil ingredients — think fish oil powders, oil-based vitamin E, CoQ10, or concentrated botanical extracts — the excipient needs to do more than prevent clumping. It needs to actively absorb and bind oil so the blend stays dry, free-flowing, and processable through encapsulation, tableting, or powder filling. Nu-FLOW’s oil load capacity, while adequate for standard formulas, simply doesn’t match silicon dioxide’s performance in these demanding applications.
The same limitation applies to high-moisture systems — hygroscopic ingredients that absorb ambient moisture quickly, causing powders to cake or degrade before they ever reach the consumer.
For years, formulators in this space faced a difficult trade-off: use silicon dioxide and deal with the label, or go clean label and sacrifice performance. Nu-SORP eliminates that trade-off.
Introducing Nu-SORP™ Oil
Nu-SORP™ Oil is a clean label fiber blend specifically engineered for high-oil applications. It combines:
- Rice Fiber
- Oat Fiber
- Sunflower Lecithin
This combination creates a matrix with significantly greater oil absorption capacity than Nu-FLOW, while still labeling simply as a “Fiber Blend” — a clean, recognizable ingredient statement your customers understand and trust.
Nu-SORP Oil is available in both Organic and Natural grades, making it suitable for certified organic formulations as well as conventional clean label products.
The Performance Data
Independent testing conducted by Biogrund directly compared SiO₂, Nu-FLOW®, and Nu-SORP™ on oil load capacity — the key metric in high-oil applications. Each material was tested at 50g with oil load and post-screen retention measured:
| Material | Starting Quantity | Remaining on Screen | Oil Quantity Absorbed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon Dioxide (SiO₂) | 50g | 50g (100%) | 3.9g (3.9%) |
| Nu-FLOW® | 50g | 24g (48%) | 6.2g (8.4%) |
| Nu-SORP™ Oil | 50g | 35g (70%) | 4.0g (4.7%) |
The results tell a clear story:
- Nu-SORP absorbed 45.8% more oil than Nu-FLOW while also leaving significantly more material on the screen — meaning better flow and less loss through the sieve.
- Nu-SORP achieved 70% of silicon dioxide’s performance in oil load capacity — a substantial leap over Nu-FLOW in oily formulas.
- Nu-SORP’s oil absorption (4.0g) nearly matched SiO₂ (3.9g), while maintaining cleaner label credentials and organic availability.
The conclusion from the Biogrund study: Nu-SORP is 70% as effective as SiO₂ in high-oil applications — a significant improvement over Nu-FLOW — while still offering a clean label declaration and organic option.
For formulators working with fish oil powders, oil-based vitamins, or concentrated botanical extracts in capsule or tablet formats, Nu-SORP Oil delivers the performance needed to keep production running smoothly without compromising your label.
Introducing Nu-SORP™ Water
High-moisture and hygroscopic ingredients present a different but equally challenging problem. Ingredients that readily absorb ambient moisture cause powders to cake, lose flowability, and degrade — creating processing headaches and shelf-life concerns.
Nu-SORP™ Water is engineered for exactly these systems. This version of the Nu-SORP platform combines:
- Rice Fiber
- Psyllium Fiber
- Banana Flour
Together, these ingredients create a fine, free-flowing powder with superior water-holding capacity. Nu-SORP Water labels as a “Fiber Fruit Blend” — a clean, consumer-friendly ingredient statement that aligns with clean label expectations in today’s supplement market.
Like Nu-SORP Oil, it’s available in both Organic and Natural grades.
Nu-SORP Water is designed for use in capsules, tablets, powders, and food products where moisture management is critical — particularly formulas containing fruit powders, greens blends, probiotic powders, or other hygroscopic ingredients that would otherwise require synthetic carriers or desiccants to remain stable.
Nu-SORP vs. Silicon Dioxide: The Clean Label Advantage
Silicon dioxide remains the industry benchmark precisely because it performs — but the regulatory and consumer landscape around SiO₂ is shifting. The EU has restricted silicon dioxide (E551) in certain food categories. Consumer scrutiny of synthetic additives is at an all-time high. And clean label certifications increasingly require the removal of synthetic flow agents and carriers.
Nu-SORP was developed to give formulators a credible, high-performance alternative — not just in typical dry applications, but in the demanding high-oil and high-moisture scenarios where clean label options previously fell short.
The comparison is straightforward:
| Silicon Dioxide | Nu-SORP™ | |
|---|---|---|
| Oil load performance | ✅ Industry benchmark | ✅ 70% of SiO₂ performance |
| Clean label | ❌ Synthetic | ✅ Fiber Blend / Fiber Fruit Blend |
| USDA Organic available | ❌ | ✅ |
| Non-GMO Project Verified | ❌ | ✅ |
| Label declaration | Silicon Dioxide | Fiber Blend or Fiber Fruit Blend |
| Moisture management | ✅ | ✅ (Nu-SORP Water) |
When to Use Nu-FLOW vs. Nu-SORP
Not sure which product fits your formula? Here’s a quick guide:
Choose Nu-FLOW® when:
- Your formula is a standard dry powder or blend
- Oil content is low to moderate
- You need a simple USDA Organic anticaking agent
- You’re replacing silicon dioxide in a conventional dry application
Choose Nu-SORP™ Oil when:
- Your formula contains high-oil ingredients (fish oil powder, vitamin E, CoQ10, botanical extracts)
- Oil absorption and management is a processing challenge
- You need organic-certified performance close to SiO₂ in oily systems
Choose Nu-SORP™ Water when:
- Your formula contains hygroscopic or high-moisture ingredients
- You’re working with fruit powders, greens blends, or probiotic formulas
- Moisture stability and shelf life are primary concerns
A Clean Label Solution for the Formulations That Need It Most
The demand for clean label supplements isn’t slowing down — and neither are the formulation challenges that come with removing synthetic excipients. Nu-SORP Oil and Nu-SORP Water were developed because we recognized that clean label performance had to extend beyond standard applications to serve formulators working on the full spectrum of supplement formats.
With Nu-SORP, RIBUS now offers a complete clean label excipient pathway: Nu-FLOW® for standard dry applications, Nu-SORP™ Oil for high-oil formulas, and Nu-SORP™ Water for high-moisture systems — all USDA Organic certified, Non-GMO Project Verified, and designed to perform where your formula demands it most.
Ready to explore Nu-SORP for your next formula? Request a sample or contact our team to discuss your specific application.
