Microencapsulates containing stabilised lipid, and methods for the production thereof
The invention provides a gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate comprising a lipid emulsion core encapsulated within a gastro-resistant, ileal sensitive, polymerized chitosan membrane shell, wherein the lipid emulsion core comprises denatured or hydrolysed protein and carbohydrate. In one embodiment of the invention, the emulsion is a micro-emulsion, and typically comprises a surfactant and a co-surfactant or at least two carbohydrates, for example sucrose and a maltodextrin. In one embodiment of the invention, the lipid is a marine derived lipid such as fish oil, krill oil, or nutraceutical fatty acids. In other embodiment, the lipid is a fatty acid such as DHA or ARA, or a lipid derived from seeds, nuts or eggs.
1. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate, formed by extrusion of microdroplets into an acidic gelling bath for immediate curing therein, comprising a lipid microemulsion core encapsulated within a gastro-resistant and ileal sensitive polymerized chitosan membrane shell, wherein the lipid microemulsion core includes a denatured or hydrolysed protein, a carbohydrate, and a lipid in a microemulsion that is a self microemulsifying drug delivery system containing a surfactant and a co-surfactant; and the shell is impermeable to air.
2. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the lipid is selected from a marine-derived lipid; a lipid derived from nuts, seeds, or eggs; a fatty acid; and a triglyceride.
3. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the lipid is a marine derived oil selected from fish oil, hill oil, and algal oil.
4. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the lipid is a fatty acid selected from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA).
5. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the carbohydrate is a polysaccharide.
6. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the carbohydrate is a glucose-containing polysaccharide, optionally selected from maltodextrin, sucrose, and maltose.
7. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the carbohydrate is a disaccharide.
8. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the carbohydrate has a dextrose equivalence of 16-20.
9. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the shell further includes a co-surfactant that, optionally, is lecithin.
10. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the shell further includes a denatured or hydrolysed protein.
11. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the denatured or hydrolysed protein of the lipid microemulsion core comprises a dairy protein, a vegetable protein, or both.
12. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which:
the lipid microemulsion core comprises 5.5 to 86.0% total solids (w/v); and/or
the lipid microemulsion core comprises 5.5 to 15% denatured or hydrolysed protein (w/v); and/or
the lipid microemulsion core comprises 2.0 to 8.5% carbohydrate (w/v).
13. A gelated mono-nuclear microencapsulate as claimed in claim 1 in which the microencapsulate is dried.
14. A composition suitable for oral administration to a mammal, the composition comprising a multiplicity of microencapsulates according to claim 1 .
15. A composition suitable for oral administration to a mammal, the composition comprising a multiplicity of microencapsulates according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is selected from a food product, a beverage, a food ingredient, an animal feed ingredient, a nutritional supplement, an infant formula, an animal feed supplement, and an oral dosage pharmaceutical.
16. A composition suitable for oral administration to a mammal, the composition comprising a multiplicity of microencapsulates according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is an infant formula and the lipid in each of the microencapsulates is selected from DHA and ARA.