{"id":483,"date":"2026-09-29T06:00:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T22:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dongphucqmi.com\/blog\/?p=483"},"modified":"2026-09-29T06:00:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T22:00:46","slug":"what-are-the-storage-conditions-for-different-types-of-capsules-47cf-e056b6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.dongphucqmi.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/29\/what-are-the-storage-conditions-for-different-types-of-capsules-47cf-e056b6\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the storage conditions for different types of capsules?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey everyone, it\u2019s Jake from your go-to capsules supplier\u2014you know, the folks who make sure your formulations hit the shelf exactly like they\u2019re supposed to. Today, I want to talk about something we get so many questions about: storage conditions for different types of capsules. I can\u2019t tell you how many times a new customer hits us up panicking because their gelatin capsules got all mushy, or their vegetarian ones turned crumbly. Trust me, I\u2019ve been there during a random summer heatwave in our warehouse, and let\u2019s just say we learned a very<\/em> expensive lesson that day. Capsules<\/a><\/p>\n

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First off, let\u2019s cut to the chase\u2014capsules aren\u2019t one-size-fits-all when it comes to storage. If you stuff all your capsule types in the same broom closet, you\u2019re gonna have a bad time. Let\u2019s break down the big four: hard gelatin, soft gelatin, HPMC (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, that\u2019s our veggie go-to), and pullulan (the newer vegan option that\u2019s been blowing up lately). I\u2019m gonna keep this real, not like some stuffy textbook that uses words like \u201cthermogravimetric analysis\u201d when \u201cdon\u2019t leave it in a hot car\u201d works.<\/p>\n

Starting with hard gelatin capsules\u2014these are the OG, right? You see \u2019em in everything from OTC pain meds to pet supplements. What most people don\u2019t realize is gelatin is protein-based, which means it\u2019s super sensitive to two things: moisture and temperature. Let\u2019s start with temperature: hard gelatin capsules hate extreme heat. The sweet spot is 15\u201325\u00b0C (that\u2019s 59\u201377\u00b0F for my US homies). If it gets above 30\u00b0C (86\u00b0F), the gelatin starts to soften, and the two halves of the capsule might stick together. We had a customer a couple years back who stored a pallet of hard gelatin capsules in a shipping container that sat in the Arizona sun for three days\u2014when they opened it, every single capsule was fused into a solid block. They had to toss the whole batch, and that\u2019s not cheap for a 50,000-unit order.<\/p>\n

Now moisture for hard gelatin: the ideal relative humidity (RH) is 35\u201355%. Too much humidity (over 60%), and the capsules absorb water from the air, getting all squishy and losing their shape. Too little humidity (under 30%), and they dry out, become brittle, and crack when you try to fill them. We recommend storing these in airtight containers if you\u2019re not using them right away, and if you\u2019re transporting them, make sure the shipping containers have climate control\u2014no exceptions. Pro tip: we always add a small desiccant packet to every bulk capsule order we ship, but don\u2019t rely solely on that\u2014good warehouse ventilation is non-negotiable.<\/p>\n

Next up: soft gelatin capsules. These are the ones with the liquid or semi-solid inside\u2014think fish oil, melatonin, or those big omega-3 pills. Soft gelatin is made differently, with added plasticizers like glycerin, which makes it flexible, but also more sensitive than hard gelatin. Temperature for soft gelatin is even trickier\u2014stick to 10\u201320\u00b0C (50\u201368\u00b0F). Wait, that\u2019s cooler than hard gelatin? Yeah, because the plasticizers can start to leach out if it\u2019s too warm, making the capsule get sticky or even oozing the contents. We once had a supplement brand test batch that sat on a loading dock for an hour in Florida in July\u2014when they opened the case, every softgel had a greasy ring around it from the liquid inside seeping through the softened shell. Disaster averted when we caught it before filling, but still.<\/p>\n

Moisture for softgels is 40\u201365% RH, which is a little wider range than hard gelatin, but you still gotta be careful. If it\u2019s too dry, the plasticizers evaporate, and the softgel gets hard and snaps. Too humid, same as hard gelatin\u2014absorb water, get mushy. Also, never store softgels in direct sunlight. UV rays break down the gelatin and the active ingredients inside, leading to discoloration and reduced potency. We always tell our customers to use opaque packaging for softgels, but storage in a dark, cool spot is the second line of defense.<\/p>\n

Now the two vegan capsule types\u2014HPMC and pullulan, which are becoming way more popular as people ask for plant-based options. Let\u2019s start with HPMC, that\u2019s the most common vegan capsule these days. HPMC is derived from cellulose (think wood pulp or cotton, but processed to be super pure), so it\u2019s not protein-based like gelatin, which changes its storage needs. Temperature for HPMC is actually almost the same as hard gelatin: 15\u201325\u00b0C (59\u201377\u00b0F). It\u2019s more stable than gelatin at higher temps, but still, if it\u2019s over 30\u00b0C, you might notice a slight change in texture.<\/p>\n

Moisture for HPMC is a bit different\u2014ideal is 30\u201350% RH. It\u2019s less hygroscopic than gelatin, meaning it doesn\u2019t suck up water as fast, but too much humidity (over 60%) will still make it swell and soften. Too little humidity (under 25%), and it gets brittle, same as gelatin. The good thing about HPMC is it doesn\u2019t have that animal protein factor, so it doesn\u2019t attract mold or bacteria as easily as gelatin does if storage is off\u2014still, we don\u2019t recommend testing that. Pro tip for HPMC: if you\u2019re storing them long-term, avoid stacking heavy pallets on top of each other, because they can compress if they get even slightly soft.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s pullulan\u2014this is the newer kid on the block, made from fermented tapioca starch, right? It\u2019s super popular for clean-label products because it has a neutral taste and is fully plant-based. Pullulan capsules have the most unique storage needs of the bunch. Temperature is similar to HPMC, 15\u201325\u00b0C, but it\u2019s actually more sensitive to rapid temperature changes. If you take pullulan capsules from a cold storage unit and leave them in a warm room, they\u2019ll sweat (condensation) on the surface, which can lead to clumping. We always tell customers to acclimate pullulan capsules to room temperature for 2\u20133 hours before opening the container, no exceptions.<\/p>\n

Moisture for pullulan is 35\u201355% RH, same as hard gelatin, but here\u2019s the catch: pullulan is more prone to microbial growth if humidity is too high, even more than HPMC. Because it\u2019s starch-based, mold loves it. We had a small batch order a while back where a customer stored pullulan capsules in a basement that got flooded a little\u2014they thought they\u2019d dried them out, but within a week, they found fuzzy mold spots on the capsules. They had to destroy the whole thing, which was a bummer, so we now include a quick guide sheet with every pullulan order that says no damp basements, no leaky storage areas.<\/p>\n

Wait, I should also talk about general storage mistakes that apply to all capsules, okay? I don\u2019t want anyone making these dumb, avoidable mistakes. First, don\u2019t store capsules in the kitchen or bathroom. Kitchens have fluctuating temps (stove, oven, opening the fridge) and bathrooms have super high humidity when you shower. That\u2019s a one-way ticket to crumbly or mushy capsules. Second, avoid plastic bins that don\u2019t breathe. A lot of people use airtight plastic totes for storage, but if you put capsules in there without any airflow, moisture can get trapped, leading to mold or clumping. We recommend using cardboard boxes (the ones we ship the bulk capsules in work great) with a loose lid, or breathable plastic containers. Third, don\u2019t wait until the last minute to check storage. Do a weekly check of your warehouse or storage space\u2014monitor the temp and RH with a cheap meter you can get on Amazon. We even have a little reminder in our supplier follow-up emails that tells customers to test their storage conditions monthly.<\/p>\n

Also, if you\u2019re transporting capsules, not just storing them\u2014like if you\u2019re shipping a batch to a manufacturer or a retail location\u2014you gotta adjust. For long-haul shipments (over 3 days), especially in extreme climates, we recommend insulated shipping containers with temp and humidity control. We did a trial last year where we shipped hard gelatin capsules to Singapore in a regular container\u2014when they arrived, 10% were fused. Now we use insulated, climate-controlled containers for all international shipments, and that issue is gone.<\/p>\n

Look, as a capsule supplier, our job isn\u2019t just to send you the best quality capsules\u2014it\u2019s to make sure they get to you in the same condition they left our warehouse. But 50% of capsule issues we hear about come down to bad storage on the customer\u2019s end, which is why we\u2019re so open about sharing these tips. We\u2019ve been in this game for years, we\u2019ve made every mistake you can think of, so we don\u2019t want you to repeat them.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re ordering capsules from us, we always include a free storage guide with every bulk order, tailored to the type of capsules you\u2019re getting. But if you have specific questions, or you need help figuring out the best storage setup for your facility, hit us up for a procurement discussion. We don\u2019t do generic sales pitches\u2014we talk through your exact needs, whether you\u2019re a small supplement brand just starting out or a big pharma company with a warehouse full of capsules. We want your products to work as intended, because that\u2019s how we build long-term relationships, not just one-off orders.<\/p>\n

So to recap, quick and dirty:<\/p>\n