Yes, Capsugel® Plantcaps® capsules produced from tapioca pullulan are of vegetable origin, gluten-free, preservative-free and non-GMO. Capsugel® Plantcaps® capsules provide all the benefits of gelatin capsules while still meeting the dietary needs of vegetarian and vegetarian-aware supplement users.
No, but in the US that they have been accepted for use with organic ingredients and meet the “made with organic ingredients” labeling criteria. To learn more about organic labeling requirements in the US, click here.
Yes, tests have shown that Capsugel® Plantcaps® capsules do not demonstrate any interaction with Vitamin C leading to the Maillard reaction - the chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that create a "browned" surface on gelatin capsules.
The first use of pullulan was reported in 1938. Commercial production of pullulan began in Japan in 1976. The raw material is non-GMO and is prepared under a patented manufacturing process. One of the first commercial successes was the use of pullulan in pocket-pack strips. Capsugel started development of a pullulan capsule in the late 1990’s. A first generation pullulan capsule was introduced in 2003 in the dietary supplement industry. Capsugel introduced the second generation pullulan capsule in 2012 with a new patented formula. The second generation pullulan used tapioca as the root source which provided more robust mechanical properties.
Capsugel® Plantcaps® capsules provide all of the benefits of gelatin capsules while still meeting the dietary needs of vegetarian and vegetarian-aware supplement users. Capsugel® Plantcaps® capsules are produced from tapioca pullulan. Pullulan is produced using a fermentation process with Aureobasidium pullulans. It is considered an extracellular bacterial polysaccharide - a natural product of a natural fermentation and is considered plant-based.
Capsugel® Plantcaps® capsules are approved by the Vegetarian Society, Vegan Action (U.S.), and are non-GMO Project verified. They are OU and KO kosher certified as well as certified Halal. They are GMO free, preservative free, allergen free, gluten free, and sugar free.