The Muscle Mag
The global soft gel market (empty capsules, B2B) is valued at approximately €1 billion worldwide, as stated by Arnaud Verhaeghe, marketing director of pharma oral dosage at Roquette, in an interview with NutraIngredients.
Ninety percent of this market consists of gelatin-based products, which can be difficult to manufacture successfully due to issues such as interactions with specific fill types, molecular crosslinking, and sensitivity to heat and moisture during storage that may impact the stability of gelatin-based capsules.
These challenges are magnified when working with more complex formulations. Manufacturers must carefully balance the gelatin-to-plasticizer ratio, incorporating substances like glycerol or sorbitol, to ensure the ideal shell elasticity without increasing the risk of capsule leakage or defects.
Verhaeghe also highlighted the environmental aspect, noting that 1 kg of meat generates 30 times more CO2 emissions than 1 kg of pea.
Although vegan alternatives currently make up only 10% of the market, there is a growing demand for them.
To address market needs, Roquette introduced Lycagel Flex, which utilizes the same hydroxypropyl pea starch and carrageenan base as the original Lycagel VS 720 Premix. However, the new formula enables producers to select the ideal plasticizer or combination of plasticizers for unique softgel formulations.
Steve Amoussou-Guenou, technical developer manager Europe at Roquette, explained, “With the development of our Lycagel VS 720 Premix, our main objective was to offer softgel producers a high-quality alternative to gelatin. As the demand for vegan capsules grows, we recognize the need for our customers to have greater control over customizing their formulations. Lycagel Flex provides the same stability and performance while offering flexibility for differentiation.”
Other benefits
Lycagel Flex provides softgel producers with a plant-based alternative that not only substitutes gelatin but also offers significant process advantages. These include a reduced degassing time of just five minutes, compared to the minimum 60 minutes required for gelatin formulations, and the potential for easy equipment cleaning with hot water only, according to Roquette’s press release.
The new premix delivers exceptional performance and stability throughout a product’s shelf life, as demonstrated by tests showing that capsules produced using Lycagel Flex maintained a clear, shiny appearance and optimal hardness with no sticking or seal leakage after six months of storage at 40°C and 75% relative humidity (RH). The capsules did not exhibit crosslinking, maintaining consistent mechanical strength and integrity at day 180 as they did immediately after production, without significant increases in disintegration time or water content.
