Are you a vegetarian?

Do you just get the vomiting tendency when you hear something like non-veg? Do you don't   like to share a table with your non-veg friends? 

Now to correlate this article with the main topic, answer these questions.

Have you ever been ill? Have you even been prescribed a capsule as a medicine by your physician ? 

I your answer is' Yes', then this article is dedicated to you. 

Do you Know what are capsules made up of? If you are a pharmacist or in related fields, you must be knowing but If you are not, then it might be a secret for you. Ok Now lets remove the curtain from this secret. 

Capsules are made up of Gelatin which is a proteinaceous material obtained by boiling skin,bones tendons, ligaments with water. it is usually obtained from cows or pigs. The bones and skins are subjected to acid, alkali or enzymatic hydrolysis .Acid treatment is especially suitable for less fully crosslinked materials such as pig skin collagen and normally requires 10-48 hours. Alkali treatment is suitable for more complex collagen such as that found in bovine hides and normally takes several weeks. Within the gelatin industry the gelatin obtained by acid treatment is called type A Gelatin and that obtained by alkali treatment is called type B gelatin. 

Not only in capsules,Gelatin is used in Shampoos, face masks ,thickeners in fruit jellies,candies, cakes ice creams etc. The worldwide production of gelatin is about 400000 tonnes per year.On commercial scale gelatin is made from the by-products of the meat and the leather Industry. 

The process of gelatin production is very closely monitored as a very slight difference can affect its quality.