Storing and Handling Empty Capsules in Bulk

Empty hard capsules are sensitive to temperature and humidity. Stored well, they run smoothly on the line; stored badly, they turn brittle, soft or sticky and cause stoppages and rejects. These practices help bulk cartons arrive at your encapsulator in the condition they left the factory.

When the cartons arrive

• Inspect the outer cartons for crush damage, wet patches or broken seals before you sign for the delivery.
• Match the paperwork: check that the lot number on each carton matches the certificate of analysis and your purchase order.
• Quarantine until released, following your own goods-in procedure, before the capsules move to production.

Storage conditions

Always follow the storage conditions on the product specification. As a general guide:

• Temperature: a controlled room temperature, typically 15–25 °C (59–77 °F).
• Relative humidity: typically 35–65%. Gelatin shells are the most sensitive: below the range they can become brittle and crack; above it they can soften and stick.
• Away from sunlight, heat sources, walls and floors. Keep cartons on pallets with space around them so air can circulate.
• Sealed until use. Keep the inner liner bag closed; it protects the capsules from humidity changes.

Before opening a carton

If cartons have been stored or shipped somewhere colder than your production room, let them reach room temperature before you open the liner. Opening cold capsules in a warmer, humid room can cause condensation on the shells.

On the production floor

• Open only the cartons you need for the run, and reseal partly used liners tightly.
• Keep the hopper area within the same temperature and humidity range as the store.
• Use stock first-in, first-out by lot, and stay within the shelf life stated on the specification.
• Record the capsule lot number in your batch record for traceability.

Warning signs to act on

What you see	Likely cause	What to do
Cracked or brittle shells	Storage too dry or too warm	Check store humidity; stop using affected cartons and contact your supplier
Soft, sticky or deformed shells	Storage too humid	Move stock to a controlled area and review humidity records
Poor separation or closing on the machine	Shell moisture outside range, or dented capsules from crushed cartons	Let capsules acclimatise; check machine settings and carton condition

Plan your stock

Ordering by production plan, rather than holding very large stocks for long periods, keeps capsules fresh and frees storage space. Talk to us about volumes and timing when you request a bulk quote, and see the bulk buyer FAQ for more on documents and ordering.