Turmeric extract containing soft pastilles

A process for the preparation of soft pastilles;

• said process comprising the following steps:
• a. introducing 30 to 70 wt. % of a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of glycerine, sorbitol and combinations thereof and water in a reactor followed by adding 5 to 40 wt. % of a gelling agent selected from the group consisting of gelatin, carrageenan and mixtures thereof and stirring to obtain a first mixture;
• heating said first mixture at a temperature ranging from 25° C. to 85° C., preferably at 65 to 85° C. and admixing 0.5 to 30 wt. % of a releasing agent selected from the group consisting of lecithin, oil, starch and combinations thereof and optionally at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient to form a second mixture, wherein the ratio of the gelling agent to the plasticizer is in a range of 1:2.5 to 1:3.3;
• b. adding 0.1 to 20 wt. % of turmeric extract into glycerine to obtain slurry and mixing said slurry and the second mixture for 30 to 45 minutes at a speed of 1500 rpm to form a third mixture comprising partly dissolved and partly dispersed turmeric extract;
• c. incorporating 0.05 wt. % to 10 wt. % of at least one sweetener, 0.01 wt. % to 5 wt. % of at least one flavoring agent and 0.05 wt. % to 2 wt. % of at least one preservative into the third mixture to obtain a mass;
• and
• d. filling the mass into the preformed cavities of blister pack to obtain the pastilles.