NUMBER 2
MARCH/APRIL 1994
17
The concept of soft gelatin capsules containing
food ingredients such as colours, spices and
seasonings is not new. However, in the UK, it is a
type of food product that has not yet been widely
developed and its potential has not been fully
realized.
What Are Soft Gelatin Capsules?
Soft gelatin capsules are most commonly used in
pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food supplement
products. In these preparations, gelatin is used as
the basic capsule shell component and it is
formulated with suitable ingredients to
encapsulate a wide variety of materials to produce
products with a whole range of different
performance characteristics, for example, shape,
colour, textures and solubilities in water.
Gelatin’s special properties are of particular
interest in foods since the material acts as a
barrier and protects the liquid capsule contents
from the outside environment. For example, it
acts as a physical barrier to bacteria, yeasts and
moulds. It also provides a low permeability
membrane to gases, retarding the ingress of
oxygen.
The gelatin shell provides a see-through aseptic
packaging material which is capable of being
formed in a wide range of sizes and shapes, from
0.1 ml to 30.0 ml. It also has the unique property
of dissolving quickly in hot water, releasing the
encapsulated liquid, which can be consumed
along with the food.
The Encapsulation Process
Two continuous strips of molten gelatin are
brought together simultaneously and the fill
formulation is injected between two strips. Size
and shape are determined by the die roll.
Development of the Application for the
Food Industry
RP Scherer Limited, the only UK encapsulation
company, is currently expanding many areas for
its development of food capsules. The areas that it
considers best for this technique are flavourings,
spices and seasonings. For this group of materials,
the value of soft gelatin capsules preventing
oxidation while retaining volatile flavours and
aromas translates directly into quality advantages
as well as appreciable savings in the amounts of
food materials used.
What Are the Advantages of
Encapsulation?
Softgel technology can be applied to a wide range
of food products, bringing significant benefits to
both manufacturer and consumer. Examples
include:
●
Portion control. Softgels are the ideal way to
control ingredients and weighing precision,
reducing waste during manufacture.
●
Spillage and pungency. Softgel technology
eliminates the serious issue of “taint”
problems in food manufacture, avoids the need
Encapsulation: A New
Concept for the Food
Industry?
Sally Moorhouse and Valerie Grundon
Nutrition & Food Science, No. 2, March/April 1994, pp. 17-19
© MCB University Press, 0034-6659