Patent ID: 7794836

Claim:
A microencapsulated material, comprising: a core component, wherein said core component is at least one of oxygen sensitive or water sensitive; a shell component encapsulating said core component, wherein said shell component comprises a polymer material and a structuring agent having an average particle size from about 0.1 to about 1 μm at a level of about 1 to 50% by weight of the shell component, said structuring agent present in the form of platelets, wherein said polymer material comprises pendant ionic groups comprising polyanions or polycations and said polymer is selected from the group consisting of gelatin, alginate, carrageenan, casein, proteins, polysaccharides, gums, synthetic polymer materials, celluloses, waxes, rosins, polyphosphates, and mixtures thereof wherein said polymer forms an ionic bridge with said dispersed structuring agent, wherein said structuring agent decreases oxygen and water permeability and protects the encapsulated ingredient from oxygen and water permeability through said polymer material rendering said shell component substantially oxygen and water impermeable and wherein said structuring agent is selected from the group consisting of clay, silicates and silicas, phospholipids, pillared-like materials, metal salts, nanoplatelets, and mixtures thereof; and wherein said polymer material forms an interior shell around said core component, and said structuring agent forms an exterior shell around said interior shell such that a gradient exists extending radially into said microcapsule from a distinct outer layer containing only said structuring agent to a mixture of said structuring agent and a polymer material to only said polymer material.