Empty hard capsules are an oral dosage form for the delivery of life-saving drugs, mineral, vitamins or other healthy ingredients via supplements. These convenient packages enable reliable dosing, portability and high consumer compliance. Alternatives include more cumbersome liquid, powder or paste formulations.

Specifically, hard capsules are made of two cylindrical shells – each closed off at one end. The upper part, called the cap, has a slightly larger diameter than the lower part, called the body. These two parts fit together perfectly to form a hermetically closed unit. Hardcaps are produced before filling with the active ingredient. In a secondary step, contract manufacturers or brand owners are filling the active ingredient or drug in the empty gelatin capsules.  As the world's population ages and as we deal with COVID-19, health-minded consumers require dosage formats that are easy to use, easy to swallow and portable. 

Like their softgel counterparts, gelatin hard capsules offer value to consumers and producers alike. These advantages are due largely due to their main component, gelatin. Gelatin means "stiff" and is a colorless dry powder that has been used for centuries in a host of food and pharmaceutical uses.  For consumers, gelatin dissolves in the human body at normal body temperature, making it the ideal ingredient in hardcaps. While protecting the precious actives inside the capsule against oxygen, light, moisture and dust, the gelatin of the hardcaps affords consumers easy swallowing. Consumers also appreciate that the capsule size and color can help them to more easily identify the respective pharmaceutical drug or nutrient inside.

For empty capsules manufacturers, gelatin provides fast machinability and setting times, ideal dissolution properties and an optimal protection of fill ingredients.  Producers can then market the empty hard gelatin capsules to brand owners who are filling with medications or nutrients.