Masticatable capsule and process for producing the same

Abstract

This chewable capsule has an encapsulating shell and a filling contained within the encapsulating shell, in which outer diameter of the above encapsulating shell ranges from 14 mm to 25 mm, and mass of the above encapsulating shell ranges from 10% to 20% of the total mass of the chewable capsule, the quantity of the above filling contained within the above encapsulating shell ranges from 1400 mg to 3000 mg, and gelatin is contained in the above encapsulating shell.

1 . A chewable capsule comprising an encapsulating shell and a filling contained within the encapsulating shell, wherein 
 an outer diameter of said encapsulating shell ranges from 14 mm to 25 mm,    a mass of said encapsulating shell ranges from 10% to 20% to the total mass of said chewable capsule,    a quantity of said filling contained within said encapsulating shell ranges from 1400 mg to 3000 mg, and    said encapsulating shell contains gelatin.    
   
   
       2 . The chewable capsule as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said encapsulating shell contains 30 to 200 mass parts of glycerin and 1 to 200 mass parts of a crystal precipitating agent per 100 mass parts of gelatin.  
   
   
       3 . The chewable capsule as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein at least a part of said crystal precipitating agent is exposed to a surface of said shell as a crystal.  
   
   
       4 . The chewable capsule as set forth in any one of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein said content is a liquid oleophilic substance having a viscosity of not more than 2 Pa·s at 25° C.  
   
   
       5 . The chewable capsule as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said content contains one or more selected from the group consisting of an animal or vegetable oil, a phospholipid, and a ceramide.  
   
   
       6 . The chewable capsule as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said content contains one or more selected from the group consisting of a monounsaturated fatty acid having 20 carbon atoms and/or a derivative thereof, and one or more selected from the group consisting of a monounsaturated fatty acid having 22 carbon atoms and/or a derivative thereof.  
   
   
       7 . A process for producing the chewable capsule as set forth in  claim 1 , comprising: a step of molding a capsule-like molded product with a shell material liquid which contains gelatin, and a step of drying said molded product, wherein 
 in said step of drying, first drying for 10 to 12 hours is performed in an atmosphere in which humidity is controlled to be within a range of ±5% and a temperature is controlled to be within a range of ±2° C. with respect to first conditions of a humidity of 30% to 50% and a temperature of 20° C. to 30° C., respectively, after said first drying, aging for 2 to 3 hours is performed in an atmosphere in which humidity is controlled to be within a range of 70%±5% and temperature is controlled to be within a range of 25° C.±2° C., and after said aging, second drying for 35 to 70 hours is performed in an atmosphere in which humidity is controlled to be within a range of ±5% and temperature is controlled to be within a range of ±2° C. with respect to the second conditions of a humidity of 30% to 50% and a temperature of 20° C. to 30° C., respectively.