Cotton packing in vitamin and herb bottles?

Question

I have always recycled it and eventually used it to remove nail polish...I got to thinking...how many of you reading this believe leaving it in the bottle will keep the vitamins or herbs more potent by not absorbing any remaining air in the bottle?

Answer 1

Just throw it away it's just a cotton ball. One cotton ball won't ruin the world.

Answer 2

The thing I'd be careful about is reusing cotton that has been incontact with pills. It will have residue on it that can get into places you my not want it to. Throw it away.

Answer 3

well....there has to be in there for a reason

Answer 4

I thought it was just to keep the pills from rattling around and breaking in shipping.

Answer 5

it is there to keep them fresher

Answer 6

I don't think leaving the cotton in or out matters.  I do leave the "Keep fresh" chemical packets in my vitamins until I am done with them.

Answer 7

it is there to keep them from rattling around and disintegrating during shipping.

It is not a preservative.

Answer 8

I almost always discard the cotton. I do this because it's always in the way when I try to dispense my supplements. Also, I think that everytime I touch the cotton I may transfer bacterias and dirt onto it and I want to keep my supplements as clean and sanitary as possible.

The "air" is in the bottle, whether the cotton is there or not, and by keeping the caps tightly closed, it keeps the contents fresh anyway.

I like the idea of you using the cotton for other uses. Great way to recycle. I just discard mine, but I think that because of you, I may have better uses for it.  

Thanks :)

Answer 9

That is NOT what it is in there for. The cotton is placed in the bottle to ABSORB shock while in transit. Keeping fragmented and broken pills to a minimum.