FOOD ARTICLES WITH DELIVERY DEVICES AND METHODS FOR THE PREPARATION THEREOF
Disclosed are food articles comprising microcapsules as delivery devices. Methods of preparing such food articles are also disclosed.
1 - 66 . (canceled)
67 . A method of preparing a baby food, comprising:
a) mixing baby food ingredients with a microcapsule; and then
b) processing the mixture of step a) by cooking, heating, pasteurizing, or homogenizing; and then
c) packaging the mixture of step b) into a container,
wherein the microcapsule comprises an agglomeration of primary microcapsules and a loading substance, each individual primary microcapsule having a primary shell, wherein the loading substance is encapsulated by the primary shell, wherein the agglomeration is encapsulated by an outer shell, and where the primary and outer shell comprising a complex coacervate.
68 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the primary shell and the outer shell comprise gelatin type A, gelatin type B, polyphosphate, gum arabic, alginate, chitosan, carrageenan, pectin, starch, modified starch, alfa-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobumin, ovalbumin, polysorbiton, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydropropylmethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, milk protein, whey protein, soy protein, canola protein, albumin, kosher gelatin, non-kosher gelatin, Halal gelatin, non-Halal gelatin, or a mixture thereof.
69 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the primary shell and the outer shell comprise gelatin, polyphosphate, polysaccharide, or a mixture thereof.
70 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the primary shell and the outer shell comprise fish gelatin or pork gelatin.
71 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the primary shell and the outer shell comprise a gelatin with a Bloom number of from about 0 to about 50.
72 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the primary shell and the outer shell comprise a gelatin with a Bloom number of from about 51 to about 300.
73 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the primary shell and the outer shell comprise a gelatin with a Bloom number of about 0, about 210, about 220, or about 240.
74 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the primary shell and the outer shell comprise a complex coacervate of gelatin and polyphosphate.
75 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the outer shell has an average diameter of from about 1 μm to about 2,000 μm.
76 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the primary shell has an average diameter of from about 40 nm to about 10 μm.
77 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the primary shell, the outer shell, or both the primary and outer shells comprises an antioxidant.
78 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the loading substance comprises a biologically active substance, a nutritional supplement, a flavoring substance, a vitamin, a mineral, a carbohydrate, a steroid, a trace element, a protein, or any mixture thereof.
79 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the loading substance comprises one or more oils chosen from a microbial oil, algal oil, fungal oil, and plant oil.
80 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the loading substance comprises fish oil.
81 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the loading substance comprises an omega-3 fatty acid, and ester of an omega-3 fatty acid, and/or a mixture thereof.
82 . The method of claim 81 , wherein the ester of an omega-3 fatty acid comprises an alkyl ester of an omega-3 fatty acid, a monoglyceride of an omega-3 fatty acid, a diglyceride of an omega-3 fatty acid, a triglyceride ester of an omega-3 fatty acid, a phytosterol ester of an omega-3 fatty acid, an ester of an omega-3 fatty acid and an antioxidant, a furanoid ester of an omega-3 fatty acid, and/or a mixture thereof.
83 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the loading substance comprises docosahexaenoic acid and/or eicosapentaenoic acid, a C 1 -C 6 alkyl ester thereof, a triglyceride ester thereof, a phytosterol ester thereof, and/or a mixture thereof.
84 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the loading substance further comprises a preservative, antimicrobial, chelating agent, thickener, flavoring, diluent, emulsifier, dispersing aid, binder or any mixture thereof.
85 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the loading substance is from about 20% to about 90% by weight of the microcapsule.
86 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the primary shell and the outer shell is formed from the same complex coacervate.