December

Dragée production

Dragées play an important role not only in the confectionery industry but also in the pharmaceutical industry. Dragées are coated tablets that are surrounded by a coating layer, which can consist of various sugars or other suitable coating materials. In addition to the coating substances, excipients necessary for the coating process are also required, such as binders, flavoring agents, and coloring agents.

Preparation process

  1. Tableting:The first step in dragée production is the preparation of dragée cores containing active ingredients and excipients. This step is carried out using tableting machines that compress the raw material into hard, shaped tablets.
  2. Pre-treatment: The dragée cores are pre-treated to provide a suitable surface for the coating material. This may include rounding the tablets, shaping the dragée, and applying a base layer.
  3. Coating: In classic dragée production, the tablets are placed in a dragée-coating pan, where they are continuously rotated while a coating material is sprayed onto them. This is a mixture of coating agents and excipients. The coating agent can consist of sugar, glucose, or various polyols. The coating is applied in multiple layers, with each layer dried before the next one is added.
  4. Drying and Polishing: At the end of the coating process, the dragées are thoroughly dried to ensure the coating solidifies and adheres properly to the tablets. Subsequently, the dragées are polished to achieve a smooth and shiny surface. To distinguish the dragées, coloring can also be applied.
  5. Quality Control: The finished dragées undergo a strict quality control process, which includes reviewing size, shape, coating thickness, and checking the active ingredient content.
  6. Packaging: The inspected dragées are finally placed in appropriate packaging that protects them from moisture, light, and mechanical damage.

Applicability

  • Flavor Masking:Many medications have a bitter or unpleasant taste. The coating of dragées helps to mask these flavors, making it easier for patients to take the medication.
  • Protection:The coating protects the active ingredients from external environmental factors, such as moisture and oxygen, thereby extending the shelf life of the medication.
  • Controlled Release:Certain dragées have a special coating that allows for the slow, controlled release of the active ingredient, providing a longer-lasting effect.
  • Easier Swallowing:The smooth and slippery coating makes it easier to swallow dragées, especially for those who find it difficult.

Did you know?

  • Dragée predecessors were known in ancient Rome, where seeds coated with honey and spices were made. Modern sugar dragées began to be produced in the Middle Ages.
  • There are also sugar-free coating materials available, allowing diabetics to use the resulting dragées.
  • In the pharmaceutical industry, multi-layer coated tablets are becoming increasingly common, containing different active ingredients in their various layers. This enables the simultaneous achievement of multiple effects with a single dragée.
  • Dragées are popular not only in the pharmaceutical industry but also in the candy industry. Famous candies like M&M’s and Skittles are also dragées, featuring a delicious coating.

Thus, the dragée-making process plays a crucial role not only in the confectionery industry but also in the pharmaceutical sector. Innovative technologies and careful manufacturing processes ensure that dragées effectively, safely, and conveniently deliver active ingredients to patients’ bodies.