JP7399494B2 - Capsule film composition and capsule - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to capsule coating compositions and capsules used in capsules that can be chewed and ingested.

In general, soft capsule films containing gelatin, plasticizers, etc. as main raw materials are known as capsule film base materials. BACKGROUND ART Capsule coating compositions having appropriate flexibility and texture so as to be chewable have been known.

US Pat. No. 5,001,003 discloses soft capsules suitable for chewing, which include a matrix containing a gel-forming component such as gelatin, a plasticizer such as glycerin, a polymeric modifier such as a carboxylic acid, and water. Patent Document 2 discloses a chewable soft capsule in which the capsule film is gelled with an aqueous gelling agent, the contents are gelled with an aqueous gelling agent, and the contents are in the form of jelly or gummy. Disclose about.

Special Publication No. 2005-529128 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-6861

However, conventional capsule film compositions have a problem in that the effect of improving flexibility and breakability is insufficient.

As a result of research to solve the above problems, the present inventors found that a capsule film composition using a thickening polysaccharide having uronic acid as a constituent unit is correct and suitable.
In order to solve the above problems, a capsule film composition according to one aspect of the present invention includes gelatin, glycerin, a plasticizer other than glycerin, and a polysaccharide thickener having uronic acid as a constituent unit.

In the capsule film composition, the thickening polysaccharide may be a white wood ear polysaccharide extract.
In the capsule coating composition, the plasticizer may be at least one selected from polyhydric alcohols, saccharides, and materials containing them.

In the capsule film composition, the plasticizer may be at least one selected from reduced starch syrup and sorbitol.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a capsule according to another aspect of the present invention is obtained using the capsule coating composition.

According to the present invention, the flexibility and breakability of the capsule coating composition can be improved.

Graph showing the results of flexibility tests in Comparative Examples 1, 3, and 4 of Test Example 1. 2 is a graph showing the results of a flexibility test in Comparative Example 2 of Test Example 1 and each Example. Graph showing the results of the rupture test in each comparative example of Test Example 1 and Examples 1, 2, 6, and 7. Graph showing the results of the rupture test in Examples 3 to 5 of Test Example 1. Graph showing the results of the flexibility test in Test Example 2. Graph showing the results of the rupture test in Test Example 2. Graph showing the results of the flexibility test in Test Example 3. Graph showing the results of the rupture test in Test Example 3. Graph showing the results of the flexibility test in Test Example 4. Graph showing the results of the rupture test in Test Example 4.

First, an embodiment of the capsule coating composition according to the present invention will be described. The capsule film composition of the present embodiment contains gelatin, glycerin, a plasticizer other than glycerin, and a polysaccharide thickener having uronic acid as a constituent unit (hereinafter referred to as "polysaccharide thickener").

(gelatin)
Gelatin, which is the main component of the capsule film composition, is a thermally decomposed product of collagen derived from cows, pigs, fish, birds, etc. As the gelatin, any of acid-treated gelatin, alkali-treated gelatin, peptide gelatin, etc. can be used. Among these gelatins, one type may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination. The content of gelatin can be set as appropriate from the viewpoint of moldability and imparting appropriate strength, but the lower limit of the content of gelatin in the solid content other than water of the capsule film composition is preferably 30% by mass. The content is more preferably 40% by mass or more. By setting this content to 30% by mass or more, the strength can be further improved. The upper limit of the content of gelatin in the solid content is preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 70% by mass or less. By setting this content to 80% by mass or less, moldability can be further improved.

(glycerin)
Glycerin improves the flexibility of the capsule obtained by the capsule coating composition. The content of glycerin can be set as appropriate from the viewpoint of improving moldability and flexibility, but the lower limit of the content of glycerin is preferably 25 parts by mass or more, more preferably 30 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of gelatin. It is more than 100%. By setting the lower limit of this content to 25 parts by mass or more, flexibility can be further improved. The upper limit of the content of glycerin per 100 parts by mass of gelatin is preferably 60 parts by mass or less, more preferably 50 parts by mass or less. By setting the upper limit of this content to 60 parts by mass or less, moldability can be further improved.

(Plasticizer)
Plasticizers improve the flexibility and rupture properties of capsules obtained by capsule coating compositions. As the plasticizer, things other than glycerin can be used, such as polyhydric alcohols, sugars, and materials containing them. Examples of polyhydric alcohols include sugar alcohols and glycols. Specific examples of sugar alcohols include erythritol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, cyclitol, alditol, and the like. Specific examples of materials containing sugar alcohols include reduced starch syrup with high saccharification, reduced starch syrup with medium saccharification, reduced starch syrup with low saccharification, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, maltitol syrup, and the like. Specific examples of sugars or materials containing sugars include monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose, disaccharides such as sucrose, oligosaccharides, dextrin, and honey. Among these plasticizers, one type may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination. Among these, polyhydric alcohols, sugars, and materials containing them are preferred from the viewpoint of excellent flexibility and breakability, and sugar alcohols, materials containing sugar alcohols, and honey are more preferred. Furthermore, reduced starch syrup and sorbitol are more preferred from the viewpoint of excellent productivity.

The content of the plasticizer can be set appropriately from the viewpoint of improving flexibility and breakability, but the lower limit of the content of the plasticizer is preferably 30 parts by mass or more, more preferably 30 parts by mass or more with respect to 100 parts by mass of gelatin. It is 40 parts by mass or more. By setting the lower limit of this content to 30 parts by mass or more, flexibility and breakability can be further improved. The upper limit of the content of the plasticizer per 100 parts by mass of gelatin is preferably 60 parts by mass or less, more preferably 50 parts by mass or less. By setting the upper limit of this content to 60 parts by mass or less, productivity can be further improved.

(polysaccharide thickener)
The polysaccharide thickener does not impair the flexibility of the capsule obtained by the capsule coating composition, but improves the rupture properties. Specific examples of uronic acids include glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, mannuronic acid, guluronic acid, and the like. Specific examples of thickening polysaccharides having uronic acid as a constituent unit include white wood ear polysaccharide extract, psyllium husk, gellan gum, pectin, xanthan gum, alginic acid, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, and the like. Among these thickening polysaccharides, only one type may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination. Among these, the white fungus polysaccharide extract is preferred from the viewpoint of excellent manufacturability and flexibility.

The content of polysaccharide thickener can be set as appropriate from the viewpoint of improving breakability, but the lower limit of the content of polysaccharide thickener per 100 parts by mass of gelatin is preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more, More preferably, it is 1 part by mass or more, and still more preferably 5 parts by mass or more. By setting the lower limit of this content to 0.5 parts by mass or more, breakability can be further improved. The upper limit of the content of polysaccharide thickener relative to 100 parts by mass of gelatin is preferably 30 parts by mass or less, more preferably 20 parts by mass or less. By setting the upper limit of this content to 30 parts by mass or less, productivity can be particularly improved.

(Manufacture of capsules)
Capsule coating compositions can be manufactured using known methods. For example, it can be obtained by dissolving the raw materials for the capsule film composition described above in water to produce a liquid mixture, and then molding the liquid mixture into a sheet shape.

The form of the capsule is not particularly limited and includes soft capsules, hard capsules, seamless capsules, etc., but the form of soft capsules is preferred from the viewpoint of excellent texture. For example, when the capsule film composition is configured as a soft capsule, the process includes a step of molding the liquid preparation into a sheet shape and then encapsulating the filling component as the contents. The viscosity of the liquid preparation is preferably adjusted to 5,000 to 100,000 mPa·s from the viewpoint of film productivity. For the step of encapsulating the filling component, for example, a punching method that has high production efficiency and can encapsulate a relatively large amount of contents can be employed. The punching method is a manufacturing method in which a gel-like sheet is created from the liquid mixture and punched into a capsule shape using a mold. More specifically, a rotary die method may be used in which soft capsules are molded while being filled with contents. The rotary die method is a molding method in which a gel-like sheet is punched out by the rotation of two cylindrical molding die rolls, and at the same time it is filled with an internal solution by a pump, and the seams of the capsules are crimped by the pressure and heat of the die rolls. This is a method in which the container is sealed tightly. The rotary die method can be carried out using a known device such as a rotary die capsule filling machine.

The field to which the capsule is applied is not particularly limited as long as it is a field where chewable capsules that can be chewed and ingested are applied, and the capsule can be preferably applied to various fields such as food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Further, the capsule filling component contained in the capsule may be a liquid or a solid such as a powder. In addition, the contents to be filled (encapsulated) in capsules include, but are not limited to, health foods, foods for specified health uses, foods with functional claims, food ingredients such as supplements, and pharmaceuticals intended to exert specific efficacy and effects. Various active ingredients such as cosmetic ingredients and the like can be mentioned.

Specific examples of the contents include, but are not limited to, plant-derived materials such as vegetables, fruits, and seeds, animal-derived materials such as placenta and liver, microorganisms such as yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and spirulina, propolis, and royal jelly. Examples include beekeeping products and their extract components, various fermented foods, oils and fats such as fish oil, animal oil, and vegetable oil, and nutritional components such as vitamins and minerals.

The effects of the capsule coating composition of this embodiment will be explained.
(1-1) The capsule film composition of the present embodiment was configured to contain gelatin, glycerin, a plasticizer other than glycerin, and a polysaccharide thickener. Therefore, the flexibility and breakability of the capsule coating composition can be improved. In other words, the texture of the chewable capsule can be improved.

Note that the above embodiment may be modified as follows. The above embodiment and the following modifications can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.
- The capsule coating composition of the above embodiments may contain ordinary capsule coating compositions such as antioxidants and preservatives as other components from the viewpoint of maintaining the performance of the capsule coating composition within a range that does not impede the effects of the present invention. Other known additives used in the production of compositions may also be blended as appropriate.

- The capsule film composition of the above embodiment may contain thickening polysaccharides other than the above-mentioned thickening polysaccharides within a range that does not impede the effects of the present invention. From the viewpoint of further improving the effects of the present invention, the polysaccharide thickener other than the above-mentioned polysaccharide thickener is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass in the solid matter other than water in the capsule film composition. It is as follows.

Hereinafter, the configuration and effects of the present invention will be specifically explained using Examples, but the present invention is not limited to these Examples. In addition, Examples 2 and 7 below shall be replaced with Reference Examples 2 and 7.
<Test Example 1: Examination of polysaccharide thickener>
Capsule film compositions of Examples and Comparative Examples were prepared by mixing the components shown in Tables 1 and 2, and evaluated in terms of manufacturability, flexibility, and breakability.

First, 100 parts by mass of gelatin is added to 120 parts by mass of purified water at 85 to 90°C in a mixing tank and mixed. Next, each of the other components was added so as to have the values (parts by mass) shown in each table and mixed to prepare a viscous soft capsule raw material mixture (blended liquid). In each example, the blending amount of the thickening polysaccharide was determined so that the viscosity of the liquid preparations would be approximately the same. Next, the soft capsule raw material mixture was molded into a sheet having a thickness of 0.9 mm by a film forming process using a casting drum of a rotary die capsule filling machine (manufactured by Sankyosha). Next, capsule film compositions of each example were manufactured using a film drying process of a rotary die capsule filling machine.

The capsule film compositions of each example were evaluated for film formability, flexibility, and breakability as manufacturability according to the criteria shown below. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Note that the units of numerical values indicating the blending of each component in Tables 1 and 2 are parts by mass and mass % (ratio in solid content other than water as a blending component).

In addition, the high saccharification reduced starch syrup in Tables 1 and 2 was Amamil (registered trademark) manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Food Tech. As the white wood ear polysaccharide extract, Tremel Gum (registered trademark) manufactured by Unitec Foods was used. As the white wood ear polysaccharide (80% product), white wood ear polysaccharide manufactured by Nihon Yakuhin Co., Ltd. was used. As the white wood ear polysaccharide-P (80% product), white wood ear polysaccharide-P manufactured by Oryza Yuka Co., Ltd. was used.

Further, a graph showing the results of the flexibility test in Comparative Examples 1, 3, and 4 is shown in FIG. Further, FIG. 2 shows a graph showing the results of the flexibility test in Comparative Example 2 and each Example. Further, a graph showing the results of the rupture test in each comparative example and Examples 1, 2, 6, and 7 is shown in FIG. Further, a graph showing the results of the rupture test in Examples 3 to 5 is shown in FIG.

(Manufacturability)
The ease of molding into a sheet using the casting drum of a rotary die capsule filling machine was evaluated as follows.

○: Can be molded without problems △: Slightly difficult to mold due to viscosity, etc. ×: Very difficult to mold due to high viscosity, etc. In addition, evaluations of △ or higher are considered practical. .

(breakability)
Breakability was evaluated as follows by a puncture test using a creep meter (RE2-33005B manufactured by Yamadensha).

○: Breaking load is less than 130 N △: Breaking load is 130 N or more and less than 150 N ×: Breaking load is 150 N or more It should be noted that evaluations of △ or higher have practicality.

(Flexibility)
In a piercing test using a creep meter (manufactured by Yamadensha: RE2-33005B), flexibility was evaluated as follows based on the inclination derived from the pushing distance (mm) and breaking load (N).

○: Inclination is less than 15 N/mm Δ: Inclination is 15 N/mm or more and less than 20 N/mm ×: Inclination is 20 N/mm or more It should be noted that evaluations of △ or higher have practicality.

As shown in Tables 1 and 2, it was confirmed that the capsule film compositions of Comparative Examples 3 and 4, which use polysaccharide thickeners that do not fall under the present invention, do not have the effect of improving breakability or flexibility. Ta. On the other hand, in the case of a capsule film composition containing the polysaccharide thickener of the present invention, it was confirmed that a capsule film composition having good practicality in both breakability and flexibility could be obtained.

<Test Example 2: Examination of plasticizer>
Capsule film compositions of each Example and Comparative Example were prepared by mixing each component shown in Table 3, and evaluated in terms of manufacturability, flexibility, and breakability. The test method and evaluation method were the same as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

In addition, as the high sugar reduction reduced starch syrup in Table 3, Amamil (registered trademark) manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Food Tech was used. As the medium saccharification reduced starch syrup, SE 57 (registered trademark "SE") manufactured by Bussan Food Science Co., Ltd. was used. As the low sugar reduced starch syrup, SC 30 (registered trademark "SE") manufactured by Bussan Food Science Co., Ltd. was used. As the white wood ear polysaccharide extract, Tremel Gum (registered trademark) manufactured by Unitec Foods was used.

Further, a graph showing the results of the flexibility test for each example is shown in FIG. 5, and a graph showing the results of the rupture test for each example is shown in FIG. 6, respectively.

As shown in Table 3, it was confirmed that by blending a plasticizer other than glycerin, a capsule film composition having good practicality in both breakability and flexibility could be obtained.

<Test Example 3: Examination of blending amount of polysaccharide thickener>
Capsule film compositions of each example were prepared by mixing the components shown in Table 4, and evaluated in terms of manufacturability, flexibility, and breakability. The test method and evaluation method were the same as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 4.

In addition, as the high sugar reduction reduced starch syrup in Table 4, Amamil (registered trademark) manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Food Tech was used. As the white wood ear polysaccharide extract, Tremel Gum (registered trademark) manufactured by Unitec Foods was used.

Further, FIG. 7 shows a graph showing the results of the flexibility test for each example, and FIG. 8 shows a graph showing the results of the rupture test for each example.

<Test Example 4: Examination of blending amount of plasticizer>
Capsule film compositions of each example were prepared by mixing the components shown in Table 5, and evaluated in terms of manufacturability, flexibility, and breakability. The test method and evaluation method were the same as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 5.

In addition, as the high sugar reduction reduced starch syrup in Table 5, Amamil (registered trademark) manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Food Tech was used. As the white wood ear polysaccharide extract, Tremel Gum (registered trademark) manufactured by Unitec Foods was used.

Further, a graph showing the results of the flexibility test for each example is shown in FIG. 9, and a graph showing the results of the rupture test for each example is shown in FIG. 10, respectively.

Claims (5)

Gelatin, glycerin, a thickening polysaccharide having as a constituent unit at least one uronic acid selected from white wood ear polysaccharide extract, psyllium husk, and xanthan gum , and a plasticizer other than glycerin and having a uronic acid as a constituent unit A capsule film composition for use in a chewable capsule containing a plasticizer other than a polysaccharide thickener. The capsule shell composition according to claim 1, wherein the thickening polysaccharide is a white wood ear polysaccharide extract. The capsule coating composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plasticizer is at least one selected from polyhydric alcohols, saccharides, and materials containing them. The capsule coating composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plasticizer is at least one selected from reduced starch syrup and sorbitol. A chewable and ingestible capsule obtained using the capsule film composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4.