Microencapsulation techniques and its application in food industry

Abstract

Microencapsulation is defined as a process in which tiny particles or droplets are surrounded by a coating or embedded in a homogeneous or heterogeneous matrix, to give small capsules with many useful properties. It is a technique by which liquid droplets, solid particles or gas compounds are entrapped into thin films of a food grade microencapsulating agent. Microencapsulation is a smart manner of improving the performance of products. By using this technology, an active of interest can be isolated and kept unmodified for extended periods of time. This technique has been employed in a diverse range of fields from food processing, chemicals and pharmaceuticals to cosmetics and printing. For this reason, widespread interest has developed in microencapsulation technology. There were several methods for undergoing the process of microencapsulation like spray drying, spray cooling, spray chilling, fluidised bed coating, Pan coating etc. All these methods were discussed briefly in this review.