Softgel materials
Gelatin used for softgels comes from animals, specifically the collagen from connective tissues, bones, sinews and skin. These are extracted from the byproducts of the meat and leather industries, and usually consist of the skin or bones of cattle and pork.
Is there mineral oil in my softgels?
I saw a post somewhere that said that gelatin softgels contain mineral oils used in their manufacture. According to what I could find, edible mineral or other oils are used in the manufacturing process to lubricate the gelatin before it is formed into softgel capsules.
Descriptions and drawings of the manufacturing process indicate that ribbons of gelatin are lubricated on both sides with oil prior to being fed to dies that create the capsule shapes out of them. After encapsulating the softgel, the outside of the softgel is sent to a tumble dryer to remove the oil film and dry the capsule. The drying process also draws moisture from the inside of the capsule through the surface, but there is no mechanism for removing the oil that was on the inner surface of the capsule.
It also appears that some systems attempt to minimize the use of lubricant, but more commonly used systems submerge the gelatin in oil, so you are probably consuming mineral oils with your softgels.
The most common lubricant seems to be edible mineral oil, but fractionated coconut oil and Miglyol 812 are also mentioned. Miglyol 812 is a specific fractionated coconut oil product.
Are there vegan alternatives to gelatin softgels?
Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) is a newer alternative to animal-derived gelatin that is used for neutraceuticals (nutritional supplements) in some parts of the world. It is derived from cellulose and is artificially synthesized.
Further reading:
- Diagram of Capplus Technology's softgel encapsulation process
- Drying Technology - Soft Capsule Manufacturing, a good description of how softgel's are made
- Miglyol product information
- Options in Materials for Liquid-Filled Capsules describes HPMC's manufacturing characteristics
- National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)'s TAP (Technical Advisory Panel) Review of HPMC in products labeled "organic". Common trade names for HPMC are included.