Microencapsulation is a technology that packages solids, liquids, or gases within miniature sealed capsules. It can protect ingredients, allow for controlled release, and improve delivery of bioactive compounds in foods. Common microencapsulation methods include coacervation, spray drying, extrusion, and fluidized bed coating. Microencapsulation promotes the stability, delivery, and health benefits of bioactive ingredients like probiotics, vitamins, minerals, and fish oils. It masks unpleasant flavors and protects ingredients from environmental factors. Studies show microencapsulation can increase probiotic survival in foods and the delivery of iron, calcium, and omega-3s to the gastrointestinal tract.

1. Microencapsulation for the
improved delivery of bioactive
compounds in foods
Speaker: Manoj Solanki
PhD 1st Year
Dairy
Chemistry
NDRI, Karnal

2. Microencapsulation
• It is defined as a technology of packaging solids,
liquids or gaseous materials in miniature, sealed
capsules that can release their contents at
controlled rates under the influences of specific
conditions. (Arneado,
1996)

3. Why microencapsulation ?
Protection
Controlled release
Enhance acceptability
Improved delivery

4. Pictorial representation of the
encapsulation process
M. Popplewell (2001)

5. Methods of encapsulation
Coacervation
• Co-crystalization
Molecular inclusion
• Spray drying
Spray cooling/chilling
• Extrusion
Fluidized bed
• Melt injection
Liposome

6. Coacervation
Coacervation microencapsulation is the phase
separation of one or many hydrocolloids from the
initial solution and the subsequent deposition of the
newly formed coacervate phase around the active
ingredient suspended or emulsified in the same
reaction media.
Flavour oil Nutrients
Vitamins Enzymes
Fish oils Preservatives

7. Coacervation

8. Co-crystallization

9. Molecular inclusion
β Cyclodextrins are enzymatically modified starch
molecules, which can be made by the action of
cyclodextrin glucosyltransferase upon starch. After
cleavage of starch by the enzyme, the ends are
joined to form a circular molecule.

10. Spray-drying
Three basic steps:
Preparation of a
dispersion or emulsion
to be processed
Homogenization of
the dispersion and
Atomization of the
mass into the drying
chamber.

11. Spray cooling/chilling
‘matrix’ encapsulation because the
particles are more adequately
described as aggregates of active
ingredient particles buried in the fat
matrix

12. Melt extrusion
In melt-extrusion process forcing the core material,
which is dispersed in a melt carbohydrate carriers
through a series of die to form sheets, ropes or
threads of different dimensions.
1. Motor drive 7. Co-rotating screws
3 5
2 2. Solids Feed 8. Heating Jacket
3. Water 9. Transition zone
4
4. Water pump 10. Die
6 5. Flavour 11. Take off conveyor
6. Flavour pump 12. Cooling air
8 9 10
12
1 7
11

13. Fluidized bed
Fluidized bed technology is a very efficient way to apply
a uniform layer of shell materials onto solid particles.
It is one of the few technologies capable of coating
particles with different kinds of shell material like
polysaccharides, proteins, emulsifiers, fats, complex
formulations, powder coatings, yeast cell extract etc.

14. The wruster process
The technology can be used to
encapsulate solid materials with
diameters ranging from near 50µm
to several centimeters.
Wruster Process can be used to
encapsulate vitamins, minerals, and
functional food ingredients.

15. Melt injection
This process is often referred to as the
“Durarome” process after the product trade name.
In this method sugar syrup or sugar-corn syrup is
made.
Ingredients like flavour oils are then added to the
hot molten sugar, the pressure vessel is closed and
high shear mixing is employed to emulsify the
flavour oil.

16. Liposome microencapsulation
A liposome can be defined as an artificial lipid
vesicle that has a bilayer phospholipids
arrangement with the head groups oriented
towards the interior of the bilayer and the acyl
group towards the exterior of the membrane facing
water.
Liposomes are usually made of
phosphatidylcholine (lipid) molecules although
mixtures of phospholipids can also be employed to
make liposomes

17. Morphology of encapsulation
(Augustin et al, 2001).

18. Use of encapsulation
Technologica
l challenges
Bioactive functional
Food compoun foods
ds
Microencapsulat
ion is a useful
tool

19. Use of bioactive compounds
Flavour
Bioactive
Stability of the bioactive
compoun
ds compounds during Colour
processing and storage
Preservatio
n
Health
benefits

20. Microencapsulation technologies used for
bioactive food ingredients
Microbial
products
Probiotic bacteria are „defined, live
microorganisms which, administered in adequate
amounts, confer a beneficial physiological effect
on the host‟.
These bioactive ingredients have been at the
forefront of the development of functional foods,
particularly in dairy products,

21. Spray-coating Size (typically
between 1 and 5 μm
Spray-drying diameter)
Extrusion Microencapsulatio
Probiotics
n
Emulsion
Gel-particle Must be kept alive.

22. Spray-coating methods for the
microencapsulation of probiotics
Fermentation --- concentration--- freeze-drying ---
granulation

23. waxes,
lipid-based fatty acids and
oils
Coating gluten and
Material Protein-based casein
Carbohydrate- cellulose derivatives,
based carrageenan and
alginate

24. Gel-particle technologies for the
microencapsulation of probiotics
(Claude and Fustier, 200

25. Microencapsulation technologies used for
bioactive food ingredients
Non-microbial
products
Spray-drying
Oil-based vitamins,
fatty acids
Spray-chilling and liposome
retinol,
omega-3 fatty acids,
yeasts,
enzymes

26. The delivery of bioactive ingredients into
foods and to the GI tract

27. Cont…
(Claude and Fustier, 2007

28. Beneficial effects of probiotic
microencapsulation.

29. Cont…

30. Beneficial effects of microencapsulation.
Spray-chilling and fluidized-bed coating are the most
popular methods for encapsulating water-soluble
vitamins (e.g ascorbic acid), whereas spray-drying of
emulsions is generally recommended for the
encapsulation of lipid-soluble vitamins (e.g. b-carotene,
vitamins A, D and E)
(Gouin, 2004)
ME promotes the delivery of vitamins and minerals to
foods mainly by preventing their interaction with other food
components;
for example, iron bioavailability is severely affected by
interactions with food ingredients (e.g. tannins, phytates
and polyphenols).
Additionally, iron catalyzes the oxidative degradation of

31. Consumption of food enriched with microencapsulated fish
oil obtained by emulsion spray-drying was as effective as
the daily intake of fish oil gelatine capsules in meeting the
dietary requirements of this omega-3 long-chain fatty acid .
(Champagne et al, 2006)
ME is usually used to mask unpleasant flavours and
odours, or to provide barriers between the sensitive
bioactive materials and the environment (food or oxygen).

32. Average daily weight gain in cat by supplemented with P.E.P.
MGE

33. The delivery of microencapsulated iron to the
GI tract

34. Case studies
ME alone in promoting the survival of probiotics
introduced into biscuits, frozen cranberry juice and
vegetable juices.
(Weiss et al., 2006)
ME can also serve to co-entrap prebiotics (i.e.
nondigestible food ingredients that can
beneficially affect the host by selectively
stimulating the growth and/or the activity of
bacteria in the gut), raising the possibility of using
ME to deliver multiple bioactive ingredients.

35. Bioactive peptides, such as bacteriocins, are also
candidates for co-encapsulation; they could
enhance or complement the antimicrobial
activities of the probiotic bacteria, especially if the
health target is protection against diarrhoea.
(Arneado,2008)
By encapsulating calcium lactate in lecithin
liposomes, it was possible to fortify soymilk with
levels of calcium equivalent to those found in
cow‟s milk , while preventing undesirable calcium-
protein reactions. (Augustin et al., 2009)
As with probiotics, the co-encapsulation of
vitamins and minerals could be beneficial.

36. Ocean Nutrition Canada
Using a proprietary microencapsulation
technology, ONC provides the food and dietary
supplement industry with a microencapsulated
powdered fish oil with the highest concentration of
bio-available Omega-3 in the market place. ONC‟s
process enhances shelf life and bio-absorption
while maintaining the taste and texture of the
products.
(www.ocean.nutrition.com, 2011)

37. Institute Rosell/ Lallemand’s encapsulated
probiotic bacteria products for use in dietary
supplements and functional foods is based on a
modified fluidized-bed encapsulation process.
Clinical testing has shown the encapsulated
probiotic bacteria have 100 percent recovery rate,
compared to the standard industry rates of 25 to
50 percent.
(www. lallemand.com, 2011)

38. Conclusion
ME could be useful in helping to deliver bioactive
ingredients both to the food matrix itself and to the
GI tract
ME has primarily served for the delivery of
bioactives into the matrix and, as yet, has not been
fully explored for more efficient delivery in the GI
tract

39. Another area that is likely to see intense research
activity in the future is the use of co-encapsulation.
In this regard, many emulsion and spray-coating
technologies offer significant opportunities for the
co-encapsulation of various hydrophobic and
hydrophilic bioactives.
ME might even be used to create particles that
clearly show consumers that the bioactive
ingredients are present in the functional foods, thus
promoting marketing strategies for product
differentiation.

40. Thank You