The Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) along with its partner, PT Kapsulindo Nusantara launched the Rulindo Caps seaweed capsule shell, which could replace the gelatin shell and reduce import of gelatin.

"By using abundant and halal seaweed raw materials, this product is expected to be highly competitive and can be accepted by the user community," Head of BPPT Hammam Riza said during the launch of seaweed capsule shells product at PT Kapsulindo Nusantara, Gunung Putri, Bogor, Wednesday.

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Locally made seaweed capsule shells that are ready for mass production are expected to boost the competitiveness of the domestic pharmaceutical industry. Until now, medicine capsule packaging has been made of gelatin, and its raw material is imported as the ingredients used in domestic production are not sufficient.

On the other hand, Indonesia is one of the world's largest seaweed producers and still exports most of the raw materials of seaweed products. By utilizing the abundant local resources, the production of seaweed capsule shells has the potential to capture the market in capsule packaging products.

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Seaweed capsules were innovative products that were formerly developed in the laboratory by engineers of BPPT Agroindustry Technology Center.

BPPT cooperated with PT Kapsulindo Nusantara in developing the products by adjusting them to production machines that were previously used for gelatin capsules production.

PT Kapsulindo Nusantara is now ready to produce the seaweed capsules commercially. "To commercialize the inventive products, BPPT as a government institution must cooperate with industrial partners," Hammam Riza stated.

Source: www.antaranews.com