Gelatin (derived from the Latin word ‘gelatus’= forzen or stiff) contains 80-90% protein and is not only used extensively in the pharmaceutical, food and photographic industry, but also in such diverse industries as cosmetics, metal refining, paper, plastics and toiletries.

The raw material for gelatin is the naturally occurring protein, collagen, which is commercially sourced from meat and leather industries. From its earliest rudimentary culinary uses, when boiled up into broth, which when cooled produced a nutritious jelly, gelatin is now manufactured on a commercial scale to stringent technical specifications to meet the demands of variety of industries. Like its parent material, collagen, gelatin is made up of many different amino acids which are the building blocks of all proteins.

Bloom value is a measure of the gel strength of a particular type of gelatin indicating the firmness of the gel. Different bloom strengths are required for different applications and must be considered together with other performance characteristics when selecting a suitable grade of gelatin.

Gelatins are suitable for a variety of uses in the pharmaceutical industry, including hard and soft shell capsules, vitamin encapsulation, tablet binding and others.

Product Ranges

Sterling offers limed processed (Type B) Pharmaceutical gelatins with Bloom gel strengths ranging from 150 to 270 (approx.).

Sterling offers a range of pharmaceutical gelatins and grades suitable for specific applications.

Specifications

Pharmaceutical gelatins are supplied to conform with the current European Pharmacopoeia, also the current BP, USP, or other pharmacopoeia, as required. Generally, the Sterling specifications for pharmaceutical gelatins impose much tighter limits than the pharmacopoeia require. Additional test may be included, such as particle size distribution, viscosity, viscosity degradation, isoionic point, etc, depending upon the customer requirements.

Sterling Gelatin is well equipped to cater to a wide range of specifications as required by the customer.

Applications

Hard Shell Gelatin Capsules

Several gelatin types may be used in the manufacture of hard capsules. Traditionally these have all been relatively high Bloom strength gelatins in the range 230-265g Bloom (BSI).

More recently, limed gelatins with lower Bloom strengths in the range 180-230g (BSI) have been used. Sterling produces limed gelatins with Bloom strength in the range 150-270g Bloom, which normally represent a major proportion of the gelatin blend used in hard capsule manufacture.

Soft Shell Gelatin Capsules

160 Bloom limed gelatin has traditionally been the standard gelatin for the manufacture of soft shell capsules.

Detailed information on the physical and chemical properties of Gelatin is available on request.

Typical Specifications

Physical Characteristics

Max 1

Total count

Max 1000

Gelatin has many applications in food industry, some of which are given below, on a chart incorporating the suggested Bloom strength to use.