What to Look for in Vegetarian Capsules Certifications
Choosing a vegetarian capsule in which to encapsulate your nutraceutical product is a vitally important decision that will have a significant impact on your product’s market appeal. Why? Because all HPMC capsules are not the same in terms of quality or ingredients. While consumers probably do not care about how capsule quality impacts the profitability of your manufacturing operation (you can read about that here), many do care quite deeply about what’s in the products they consume.
Why are HPMC capsules certifications important?
Many consumers in the dietary supplements space are looking for products that they believe are “natural” or that meet other desired characteristics. When purchasing dietary supplements they routinely scrutinize product packaging, looking for proof that the product meets their personal standards. The symbols and trademarks of recognized third-party certification providers provide this reassurance.
Consumers know that these certifications and registrations are endorsements that all aspects of your products—including the capsule itself—have met specified criteria. In fact, many will not purchase a product that does not have the certifications and registrations that are important to them. Choosing HPMC capsules that meet these criteria makes it that much easier to obtain the certification or registration for your product as a whole.
Which certifications and registrations do consumers commonly look for?
Thinking in terms of what matters the most to consumers, you should look for vegetarian capsules that have the following:
Vegan Registration
HPMC capsules that have received Vegan Registration from the Vegan Society have met rigorous criteria designed to ensure that the product does not contain any animal products whatsoever. To receive the Vegan Registration the capsules must be made from ingredients and using manufacturing processes that do not contain animal products and have not been tested on animals on the company’s behalf.
Many people who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, as well as those who have a severe allergy or intolerance to common animal product allergens such as eggs or milk, check the product packaging for the familiar Vegan Trademark icon from the Vegan Society.
Kosher Certification
Kosher Certification indicates that a product complies with Jewish dietary laws and has met certain requirements regarding the cleanliness, purity, and quality of the product. To be certified as Kosher, all ingredients in the product must comply with the Kosher laws, and all derivatives, tools and machinery must have no trace of non-Kosher substances.
There are a number of different Kosher certification agencies that provide Kosher Certification, each of which has a different symbol. In the U.S. the “Big Five” are the Organized Kashrut Laboratories (OK), the Orthodox Union (OU), the KOF-K, Star-K and CRC.
Halal Certification
A product that is Halal Certified complies with Islamic dietary requirements. Halal is an Arabic term that literally means “permissible” or “lawful.” A product that is Halal Certified is therefore permissible for the followers of Islam and does not use any “haram” (i.e., prohibited or forbidden) products or procedures in its manufacturing or processing.
Of the four things that are considered haram, three are animal products and therefore would not be found in HPMC capsules anyway. For vegetarian capsules, Halal Certification primarily certifies that the product does not contain any alcohol, and that the product has been made using equipment that has been cleansed according to Islamic law.
Non-GMO Project Verified
Products that display the Non-GMO Project’s familiar “butterfly” logo have undergone a rigorous verification process to prove that they do not contain any genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
cGMP Certification
cGMP stands for “Current Good Manufacturing Practice.” In the U.S., the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for enforcing these regulations, which provide for systems that “assure the identity, strength, quality and purity of drug products by requiring that manufacturers of medications adequately control manufacturing operations.”
The requirements for cGMP Certification extend from using quality raw materials and robust operating procedures to having appropriate quality control and testing procedures in place. Because cGMP is an FDA requirement, using a vegetarian capsule that meets this standard is an absolute must.
What else should you look for?
It is also a good idea to ask the capsule manufacturer to provide a Composition Certification. This certificate of analysis, usually provided by a third party, documents all of the ingredients used to make the product. A Composition Certification provides another layer of transparency regarding the capsules you use to make your dietary supplements.
One reason to look for this is that a Composition Certification can provide assurance that your HPMC capsules are also free of two things for which separate certification is not available: starches and preservatives. With an increasing number of consumers demanding “clean” and “natural” products, having a product that is also free of starches and preservatives helps to meet this need.
For the European market it is also important to check the Composition Certification to ensure that the colorants used to make the capsule are free of titanium dioxide (TiO2). While the FDA generally recognizes titanium dioxide as safe, the European Commission has banned its use as a food additive starting in the summer of 2022.
Conclusion
In today’s global market, one key to success is to ensure that your product meets the dietary needs and preferences of as many people as possible. Doing so requires careful formulation of your fill material (both the APIs and the excipients), paying close attention to manufacturing details and using a capsule that has all of the important certifications.
