Bad cold or splitting headache – it is probably time for you to pop that pill. Sure, that capsule or tablet will relieve your pain. But wait a second, have you ever wondered what goes into its making? Simply put, a capsule is just that, a material that encapsulates medicine. Called a shell, it is either made of animal protein (gelatine) or plant materials like cellulose or starch.

GELATIN PREPARATION
First comes the process of creating the shell in which the medicine is filled. To prepare the gelatine, glycerine and water are mixed together at high speeds for three hours or so, following which, the mixture turns into a molten liquid mass. Of course, manufacturers have to make sure that the liquid gelatin is kept warm because if its temperature drops, it solidifies even before the shell is filled.

MATERIAL (FILL) PREPARATION
There are two types of fillings – oils (like fish oil) or pastes. While oils are easy to fill, the process is slightly trickier for pastes. One needs to keep in mind the size of the particles in the powder and make sure that the mixture is viscous enough to flow easily.

ENCAPSULATION AND TUMBLE DRYING
Now that the outer shell and fillings are ready, the next step is to bring these two together in a process called encapsulation. As the two are joined, a tumble-dry process takes place where the capsules are cooled and dried.

NATURAL DRYING IN TRAYS AND INSPECTION
Capsules need to be dried to decrease the moisture content. This makes the shells harder and more durable. During inspection, the capsules are checked for air pockets, size variation, or other damage during earlier stages. Finally, the capsules are polished so that there’s no gelatine or powder sticking on the exterior of the capsule.

Here is the finished capsule — ready to be consumed!