Softgel capsule with a patterned outer shell surface

A softgel having a texture on at least a portion of its surface and a process and apparatus for the manufacture thereof. The process for manufacturing the textured softgel includes forming a flowable gelatin mass, providing a rotary drum having an outer surface, controllably directing a flowable gelatin mass to the outer surface of the drum, forming a gelatin ribbon of substantially uniform thickness on the outer surface of the drum, the gelatin ribbon being initially in a relatively softer and moldable state immediately following the directing step, providing a roller of reduced diameter with a textured surface closely adjacent to the outer surface of the drum, passing the ribbon while in the relatively softer and moldable state between the drum surface and the textured surface while applying sufficient pressure to the roller in the direction towards the drum to cause the textured surface to impart a matching texture on the other surface of the ribbon, providing a second gelatin ribbon, forming a plurality of filled softgels from the gelatin ribbons, the matching texture defining the outer surface of at least of a portion of each of the softgels.