Pharmaceutical Glass Syrup Bottles — Type III Soda-Lime Glass

Pharmaglass glass syrup bottles are produced using Type III soda-lime glass material, the global industry standard for oral liquid preparation packaging. Type III glass has adequate hydrolytic resistance for syrups, suspensions, emulsions, and oral solutions, meeting the requirements of USP <660> (Containers — Glass) and EP Section 3.2.1.

The hydrolytic resistance of Type III glass ensures that the glass surface does not release excessive alkali ions into the syrup formulation during product shelf life. Hydrolytic resistance testing is performed on every production batch at Pharmaglass's integrated QC laboratory, with results documented in a Certificate of Analysis (CoA). Titration values must meet pharmacopoeia-specified maximum limits to ensure glass compatibility with drug formulations.

Beyond hydrolytic resistance, Pharmaglass Type III medicine syrup glass bottles are also tested for thermal shock resistance, ensuring bottles withstand sudden temperature changes during filling and storage processes. The production process uses controlled annealing technology to eliminate internal glass stress, producing strong and durable bottles.

The choice between amber glass syrup bottles and clear glass is an important decision depending on the photostability of the drug formulation. Amber glass is the most popular choice for pharmaceutical syrup bottles due to its ability to block up to 90% of ultraviolet light in the 280-450nm wavelength range, which is the most damaging spectrum for active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Light-sensitive active ingredients such as vitamins (especially vitamin B2/riboflavin, vitamin A, vitamin C), certain antibiotics (tetracycline, fluoroquinolones), and some antihistamines require the light protection provided by amber glass. ICH Q1B photostability studies recommend amber glass as primary packaging for formulations proven photosensitive.

Meanwhile, clear glass syrup bottles offer the advantage of direct visual inspection of medicine contents, facilitating detection of color changes, turbidity, or foreign particles. Clear glass is ideal for light-stable formulations and products requiring attractive visual appearance. Many antacid syrups, digestive medicines, and herbal supplements use clear glass bottles.

The glass syrup bottle production process at Pharmaglass follows strict cGMP standards from start to finish. Starting from melting raw glass materials (silica sand, soda ash, limestone, and feldspar plus pigments for amber glass) at 1,500-1,600°C in a modern furnace, producing molten glass with tightly controlled chemical composition.

Molten glass is then formed into bottles using blow-and-blow or press-and-blow technology on automatic forming machines. Every bottle undergoes a controlled annealing process in a lehr oven to eliminate internal stress, producing bottles with optimal mechanical strength. Annealing temperature is maintained at 540-570°C with precise cooling rates.

After forming and annealing, every pharmaceutical syrup bottle passes through a series of automated inspections: dimensional check (body diameter, height, neck finish), wall thickness measurement, stress analysis using a polariscope, and visual inspection with high-resolution cameras. Bottles passing inspection are then packed in shrink-wrap pallets with partitions to prevent inter-bottle contact during shipping.