The European Patent Office (EPO) has granted the Rousselot’s patent application for SiMoGel, a gelatin-based platform for the production of functional gummies.

Launched in 2018, the product enables starch-free production of nutraceutical gummies – improving hygienic conditions for supplement development. 

“We’re delighted to have achieved this important step in protecting our innovative SiMoGel solution,” said Marit van der Heijden, Global Marketing & Project Manager at Rousselot. “The patent grant by the EPO strengthens our current patent portfolio and confirms that we are delivering truly innovative solutions to the market. In securing this patent, we are able to offer our customers even more opportunities for secure product development, allowing them to tap into the growing nutraceutical gummy market.”

Throughout the past few years, nutraceutical gummies have proven to be a popular delivery form, achieving a CAGR of 37.3% from 2016 to 2020, according to Innova Market Insights. The product concept is designed to combine the benefits of soft gels and gummies in a single delivery form, the company claims.

Van der Heijden said: “We are committed to using gelatin as the preferred excipient in this application, as we believe its many functional benefits and natural origins bring endless possibilities for consumers to enjoy their daily vitamins, and even medicines. Rousselot’s team is looking forward to applying the SiMoGel concept in collaboration with our customers to create innovative products, such as 3D gummies, coming with visually appealing and palatable shapes. Our teams of food and nutrition experts are particularly eager to provide formulation support and help nutra- and pharmaceutical players reach their new product development goals.”

The patent is effective in all major countries in Europe and is pending in Brazil, Japan and the United States.