The contrast between plant capsules (vegan or gelatin capsules) and gelatin capsules must be supplemented from different parameters such as material characteristics, production efficiency and market-friendliness. At 25℃, in a 2023 study on the Science of Pharmaceutical Preparations, the tensile strength of plant capsules of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) was 14.2±0.6MPa, 35% higher than that of gelatin capsules at 10.5±1.1MPa, but in terms of elongation at break, gelatin was 32% better than plants, and the toughness gap was 52%. The trial with Capsugel Company showed that the disintegrating time mean of vegan compared to gelatin capsules in pH6.8 dissolution medium was 14±1.2 minutes with standard deviation 0.8, whereas the crosslinking reaction caused the disintegration time of the gelatin capsules to be delayed to 22±3.5 minutes with standard deviation 1.9. Batch stability is significantly different. Pfizer’s 2024 report pointed out that filling line speed in plant capsules may be up to 2,800 capsules per minute, 12% higher than that of gelatin capsules, although the rate of mold wear is 18% greater, as tougher HPMC material from increased hardness leads to quicker punch wear.
Environmental impact assessments reflect striking differences. Carbon footprint for manufacturing million vegan vs gelatin capsules is 48kg CO₂, 33% lower than 72kg for gelatin, but water usage is 3.8m³/ million capsules, 26% more than for gelatin. The EU’s 2022 Sustainable Packaging Directive has propelled plant-based capsule penetration from 19% to 31%, while the share of gelatin capsules in the vegetarian certification market has declined to 9% because of animal-derived concerns. In the case of Aurobindo Pharmaceuticals in India, the risk of supply chain disruption was reduced by 42% after the transition to plant capsules, as the volatility coefficient of the raw material price was reduced from 0.28 to 0.15 for gelatin, but unit cost increased by 22%, to US $38-55 per million capsules.
Regulatory flexibility drives technology evolution. Under ICH Q1A accelerated stability test (40℃/75%RH), rate of adsorption of water from plant capsules (vegan instead of gelatin capsules) was as low as 2.8%, even lower compared with 7.5% for gelatin, extending storage shelf life by from 18 months to 30 months for regions in tropics. The 2024 USP amendment requires that the dissolution RSD of capsules in 37℃ simulated intestinal fluid is less than 3%, the plant capsule meets the standard rate of 99.1%, and the gelatin capsule is only 86.3% qualified due to cross-linking reaction. The Evonik Germany low hygroscope HPMC grade (water content ≤4%) reduces the risk of microbial contamination of plant capsules at 30℃/65%RH from 0.07% to 0.009%, and the production line meeting the FDA 21 CFR Part 11 electronic record specification occupies 92%.
Market dynamics show that there are differentiated consumer preferences. Vegan vs gelatin capsules international market size will be 4.7 billion US dollars in the year 2025 with the growth rate being 15.8% annum and the rate of growth in gelatin capsules drops to 4.2%. In North America, due to dietary religious traditions, the hospital channel share of capsules of plant origin jumped from 18% in 2019 to 58%, but in the quick-release formulation category, gelatin capsules still held onto a prescription share of 75%. The cost-benefit analysis showed the cost of repurposing the plant capsule line to be roughly US $800,000 – US $1.2 million, but its payback could be reduced to 3.8 years through reducing animal source audit costs (US $120,000 saved annually) and maximizing the scrap rate (reduced from 3.2% to 1.1%).