Soft gelatin capsules are among the most popular dosage forms for medications and numerous other health products. With innovative gelatin variants, GELITA is now demonstrating once again that this natural capsule material is still absolutely state of the art today.

GELITA offers various customized gelatins to provide capsules with different specific properties. Above all, this includes the ability to precisely control the fill release.

The latest products include GELITA^® EC and GELITA^® RXL R2. GELITA^® EC is the first gelatin- based product on the market that can be used to produce capsules that only dissolve in the intestine. The gelatin capsule is therefore ideal for fish oil or other omega-3 fatty acids, which are valued by many people. These often cause an unpleasant burping sensation with a fishy taste when they are already released in the stomach. GELITA^® EC puts an end to this. Other advantage: Capsules with GELITA^® EC can be produced in one single production step. They do not have to be coated with polymers in a costly second step to make them resistant to gastric juice, as was previously necessary for such enteric capsules. With GELITA^® EC, manufacturers save time and money, and can also offer their customers a natural product.

GELITA^® RXL R2 is a further development of GELITA^® RXL. RXL stands for reduced cross-linking and is a technology that significantly reduces the cross-linking of reactive fillings with the gelatin capsule and thus improves the capsule’s dissolution properties. GELITA^® RXL R2 is aimed at an even faster release of the active ingredients, as is desired, for example, for painkillers or cough and cold preparations. Investigations in cooperation with the University of Heidelberg clearly show that GELITA^® RXL R2 gelatin enables up to 3 times faster fill release even under unfavorable storage conditions, both for fresh and stored capsules.

Although gelatin capsules are considered the gold standard, vegetable-based capsule materials are also offered today to meet requirements for vegan or vegetarian formulations. HPMC hard capsules in particular are promoted as a natural alternative to gelatin. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is chemically modified cellulose, the production of which involves the use of various substances that are harmful to both health and the environment. HPMC is therefore listed as food additive E464, which means that recommended daily maximum amounts must be defined. It is questionable whether consumers would classify the product as natural.

In addition to standard, EC, RXL, RXL advanced and RXL R2 pharmaceutical-grade gelatins, GELITA also offers in-depth advice and technical support to produce capsule products with the desired properties. The company can draw on its decades of experience and expertise as the world’s leading supplier of gelatin.