Patent ID: 7097868

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a composition containing at least one microencapsulated lipophilic compound comprising: (i) particle size reduction of the lipophilic, compound in the presence of (1) a surface active agent and (2) water or a water miscible solvent or a mixture thereof, to provide a first composition comprising an emulsion or suspension of surface active coated lipophilic particle in said water or water miscible solvent or mixture thereof; (ii) providing a solution of alkali metal alginate; (iii) combining said first composition and the alkali metal alginate solution to provide a second composition; (iv) adding dropwise the second composition to a solution containing Ca 2+ , thereby obtaining beadlets having a second coating of Calcium alginate, and removing the formed beadlets from said solution; (v) rinsing the beadlets with an 0.1% to 10% acidic solution and dying said beadlets to obtain dried beadlets; and (vi) coating the dried beadlets with a third coating material to obtain microcapsules containing said lipophilic compound, said coating material being of vegetable origin and being selected from the group consisting of cellurose derivatives, waxes, fats, proteins and polysaccharides.