Finished Capsule Packaging Examples:

Extract Below Is From our Bulletin: Seven Steps to Success:

Packaging of Filled Capsules:

The key is to avoid moisture gain or loss during long term storage. We recommend plastic bottles with a screw cap, pails with a cover or blister clam-shells. Customers have successfully used plastic bottles from 1 quart (1 liter) to 1 gallon (4 liters) in size. Size the bottle so there isn’t excessive head space (free space above the capsules). One customer is successfully shipping capsules 1,000 per plastic bag surrounded by Styrofoam peanuts and the outer container is a cardboard drum. Another customer, packs capsules in 0.5mm thick zip lock plastic bags. We do not recommend thinner bags as they allow moisture to escape or enter quickly.

Blister packing (heat sealing a plastic blister to a foil or paper backing) requires special care to make sure that the heat involved in sealing does not lower the capsule’s moisture content and subsequently cause brittleness and capsule breakage. Advise your supplier of blister material that you are packing gelatin capsules so that they do not use plastic resins that release monomers that slow the the dissolution of capsules.

We do not recommend the use of desiccants as they absorb available moisture and increase the chance for capsule breakage. A few customers who ship copper oxide in capsules (a dense metal) use a foam padding at the bottom and top of the bottle to prevent capsule breakage due to shock. This is not required for other products.

Shipping of Filled Capsules:

Based on capsules that have been packed in one of the packages described above, outer packaging is usually a cardboard box. Typically, 6, 12 or 24 plastic bottles are placed in a corrugated case. Some customers use a top and bottom "slip sheet" or ½ inch cardboard sheet in the outer cardboard case to offer protection from shock in transit. Customers who use cardboard drums or plastic pails to pack capsules do not use further outer protection.

Warning: conduct a ship test of your product before releasing it for commercial sale. At a minimum ship your capsules in final packaging via UPS (in USA) or truck (lorry) to a few friendly customers at locations far away. Ask them how your packaging arrived. Or, contact us at Torpac.

United Parcel Service will conduct an evaluation of your package at their Danbury, CT facility. Contact your local UPS Account Representative to arrange this test. If you have any problem in arranging the test, please contact us and we will assist you. Note, UPS had advised us that the test results will not be used to accept or refuse your package. The package you give UPS will be subjected to vibration and drop tests. Additionally, the outer cardboard container will be evaluated for bursting strength.

Continue Veterinary Capsule Tour with Quality.