Patent ID: 8216621

Claim:
An encapsulated edible fiber product having controlled water absorption, said encapsulated edible fiber product comprising: edible fiber having an outer surface; at least about 80 percent of the outer surface of the edible fiber substantially covered with an inner layer comprising an edible fat or lipid having a melting point of about 10 to about 40° C.; at least about 90 percent of the inner layer essentially covered with an outer layer comprising an edible protein selected from casein, caseinate, and mixtures thereof; and wherein the inner and outer layers provide an effective moisture barrier to prevent significant swelling of the edible fiber due to moisture absorption during processing, storage, and initial stages of digestion by a human, and wherein the moisture barrier is configured to be breached during later stages of digestion by gastric proteins in the stomach to hydrolyze both the inner fat or lipid layer and the outer edible protein layer so that the edible fiber swells in the stomach due to moisture absorption.