Skip to content

Coming soon. The store is not open yet.

Menu
Full Measure

Glossary

What is a vegetarian capsule made of?

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

A vegetarian capsule is a capsule whose shell contains no animal gelatin. Many are made of hypromellose (HPMC), a cellulose derived from plant fiber, and some use starch or other plant polymers. The word describes the shell only, so the ingredients inside still need checking.1,2,3

Key facts

  • Hypromellose capsule shells were developed to replace animal-derived gelatin in two-piece capsules.1
  • Hypromellose is made from plant cellulose that is partly modified with methyl and hydroxypropyl groups.2
  • FDA permits hypromellose in food as a film former, thickener, stabilizer and emulsifier.4
  • EFSA's 2018 review of celluloses, hypromellose included, found no safety concern at reported uses and saw no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake.2

Gelatin shells and plant shells

Traditional capsules use gelatin, made from collagen in animal skin, connective tissue or bone. A vegetarian capsule swaps that for a film former from plants. Hypromellose is one such material, and reviews also describe hard and soft shells made from starch.1,3,5

Common capsule shell materials1,2,3,5
MaterialWhere it comes fromTypical use
GelatinCollagen from animal skin, connective tissue or boneHard capsules and softgels
Hypromellose (HPMC)Plant cellulose, chemically modifiedTwo-piece capsules
StarchPlantsSome hard and soft shells

What the label word covers

Vegetarian refers to the shell. The contents are listed separately, so a vegetarian capsule can still hold an ingredient made from animals, such as collagen. Read the whole ingredient list to see what is inside.6

Some plant-based capsules are also made to resist stomach acid, using polymers that dissolve only above a certain pH or that gel and erode slowly. A 2022 review found that not every ready-made capsule of this kind meets the drug tests for delayed release.7

How the shell appears on a label

FDA counts the shell as an ingredient that must be listed. On a supplement it appears in the ingredient list, often under Other ingredients, as hypromellose or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, in order of weight with the other non-dietary ingredients.6,8

Questions people ask

Is a vegetarian capsule vegan?

A hypromellose shell contains no animal material, so the shell itself fits a vegan diet. Whether the whole product does depends on the ingredients inside and any coating, so check the full list.2,6

Is hypromellose safe to eat?

FDA permits hypromellose as a food additive for uses such as forming films, and EFSA's 2018 review of celluloses found no safety concern at reported uses and levels. Celluloses pass through the gut without being absorbed.2,4

See what we make

Every product shows its whole label and what its lab report covers. The store opens soon.

See the Full Measure line

Sources

  1. Al-Tabakha MM. HPMC capsules: current status and future prospects. J Pharm Pharm Sci. 2010;13(3):428-442. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food. Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives. EFSA J. 2018;16(1):e05047. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. Gullapalli RP, Mazzitelli CL. Gelatin and Non-Gelatin Capsule Dosage Forms. J Pharm Sci. 2017;106(6):1453-1465. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Section 172.874: Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. eCFR, current as of October 2026. Opened 2026-10-07.
  5. Medical Subject Headings, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Gelatin, descriptor D005780. Opened 2026-10-07.
  6. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Section 101.4: Food; designation of ingredients. eCFR, current as of October 2026. Opened 2026-10-07.
  7. Franc A, Vetchý D, Fülöpová N. Commercially Available Enteric Empty Hard Capsules, Production Technology and Application. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2022;15(11):1398. Opened 2026-10-07.
  8. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide: Chapter V. Ingredient Labeling. April 2005. Opened 2026-10-07.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.