Sensitive substance encapsulation

Abstract

A process for stabilizing a sensitive substance; (a) plating a sensitive substance onto a solid carrier under a controlled atmosphere to reduce loss of the sensitive substance; (b) encapsulating the plated material under controlled atmosphere and airflow to reduce volatilization during the process and stabilize the sensitive substance.

1. A method of encapsulating a sensitive material comprising:
 ( a ) plating the sensitive material onto a solid carrier, in an atmosphere inert to the sensitive material, to form a plated material; and  
 ( b ) encapsulating the plated material, wherein encapsulating comprises spraying a melted encapsulant onto the plated material.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the atmosphere inert to the sensitive material is nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or helium. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the solid carrier is chilled prior to plating with the sensitive material. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the solid carrier is chilled by liquid nitrogen. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the solid carrier is porous or semi porous. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein the solid carrier is maltodextrin, silicon dioxide, starches and starch derivatives, gums, or hydrocolloids. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the encapsulation occurs in an atmosphere inert to the sensitive material. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein the atmosphere inert to the sensitive material is oxygen-free. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7  wherein the atmosphere inert to the sensitive material is nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or helium. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensitive material has a boiling point of between about 40° F. and 250° F. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  wherein the atmosphere inert to the sensitive material is oxygen-free. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensitive material is sprayed onto the solid carrier. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  further comprising encapsulating the plated material with a melted encapsulant. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1  wherein the percentage of encapsulant in the resulting encapsulated particles is between about 10 to about 90%. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  wherein the percentage of encapsulant in the resulting encapsulated particles is between about 20 to about 80%. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensitive material is a volatile material. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensitive material is an oxygen sensitive material. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensitive material is a biologically active substance. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  wherein the biologically active substance is selected from the group consisting of Lactobacilli, Bifidobacterium, Enterococci phytase, amylases, lipases, invertases, transglutaminases, proteases, lipoxygenases and pentosanases. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sensitive material is at last one selected from the group consisting of alcohols, acetones, ketones, aldehydes, organic acids, and antioxidants. 
     
     
       21. A method of encapsulating a sensitive material comprising:
 ( a )  introducing the sensitive material into an encapsulation vessel, wherein the atmosphere in the encapsulation vessel is inert to the sensitive material; and      ( b )  encapsulating the sensitive material, wherein encapsulating comprises spraying a melted encapsulant onto the sensitive material.     
     
     
       22. A method according to  claim 21  wherein the sensitive material is lyophilized before being introduced into the encapsulation vessel. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21  wherein the atmosphere inert to the sensitive material is nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or helium. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 21  wherein the atmosphere inert to the sensitive material is oxygen- free.   
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 21  wherein the percentage of encapsulant in the resulting encapsulated sensitive material is between about  10  to about  90 %. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25  wherein the percentage of encapsulant in the resulting encapsulated sensitive material is between about  20  to about  80 %. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 21  wherein the sensitive material is a volatile material. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 21  wherein the sensitive material has a boiling point of between about  40 ° F. and  250 ° F. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 21  wherein the sensitive material is an oxygen sensitive material. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 21  wherein the sensitive material is a biologically active substance. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30  wherein the biologically active substance is selected from the group consisting of Lactobacilli, Bifidobacterium, Enterococci, phytase, amylases, lipases, invertases, transglutaminases, proteases, lipoxygenases and pentosanases. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31  wherein the biologically active substance is Lactobacillus acidophilus. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 21  wherein the sensitive material is at least one selected from the group consisting of alcohols, acetones, ketones, aldehydes, organic acids, and antioxidants.