Improvements relating to encapsulated benefit agents

1. A process for the preparation of a particle, comprising:

i.) forming an emulsion comprising

a) an oil phase comprising a hydrophobic benefit agent and a reactive monomer comprising an aromatic group; and

b) a water phase comprising a hydrophobically modified polyvinyl alcohol;

ii.) adding a first dextran aldehyde having a molecular weight of from 10,000 to 25,000 Da such that crosslinking of the hydrophobically modified polyvinyl alcohol occurs to form an outer crosslinked shell; and

iii.) adding a reactive amine such that the reactive monomer in the oil phase undergoes polymerisation to form an inner polyamide shell;

wherein the particle comprises:

(a) a core comprising the hydrophobic benefit agent;

(b) an outer crosslinked shell, which comprises a crosslinked, hydrophobically modified polyvinyl alcohol, which comprises a crosslinking agent comprising the first dextran aldehyde having a molecular weight of from 10,000 to 25,000 Da; and

(c) an inner polyamide shell, wherein the shell comprises a polyamide, and wherein the polyamide comprises an aromatic group;

wherein the outer crosslinked shell is formed prior to the formation of the inner polyamide shell;

wherein the reactive amine comprises at least one water miscible monomer selected from the group consisting of a diamine, a triamine and mixtures thereof, and the reactive monomer comprising an aromatic group comprises one water immiscible organic monomer selected from the group consisting of diacyl chlorides, triacyl chlorides and mixtures thereof; and

wherein the hydrophobically modified polyvinyl alcohol is represented by the formula:

 wherein

the average number ratio of z to x is within the range of from about 1:200 to about 1:6;

y is the residual acetate in the range of from about 1 to about 20%, and

R is an alkyl group having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first dextran aldehyde has a molecular weight of from 15,000 to 22,000 Da, and the outer crosslinked shell further comprises a second dextran aldehyde having a molecular weight of from 150,000 to 300,000.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the wt/wt ratio of the second dextran aldehyde to the first dextran aldehyde is in the range of from 0.1 to 10.

4. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the particle further comprises a deposition aid.

5. A process as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the deposition aid is a polysaccharide.

6. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the particle has an average diameter of from 5 to 50 microns.

7. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the benefit agent is a fragrance, an antimicrobial compound or a mixture thereof.

8. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobically modified polyvinyl alcohol is modified with butyraldehyde.

9. A process as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the core further comprises an additional component selected from a polymeric agent, a solvent and mixtures thereof.

10. A process as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the polysaccharide is a non-ionic polysaccharide.

11. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the water miscible monomer is selected from the group consisting of diethylene triamine, hexamethylene diamine, ethylene diamine and mixtures thereof.

12. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the water immiscible organic monomer is selected from the group consisting of teraphthaloyl chloride, trimesoyl chloride, benzoyl chloride, and mixtures thereof.