Rapidly growing consumer demand for products deemed suitable for vegetarians or vegans means product labels are coming under ever-closer scrutiny. And capsules such as those used in food supplements and over-thecounter medicines are no exception. That’s why, at first sight, hard capsules made from plant-derived cellulose HPMC appear to be an obvious choice for those wishing to avoid animal-derived products and seeking a more ‘natural’ alternative, but are they really all that natural? Dr Holger Becker at GELITA AG analyses.