Patent ID: 7981453

Claim:
An encapsulated edible fiber product having controlled water absorption, said encapsulated edible fiber product comprising: edible fiber particles having an outer surface and a longest dimension of about 25 to about 100 microns; at least about 80 percent of the outer surface of the edible fiber particles substantially covered with an inner layer comprising an edible fat or lipid; at least about 90 percent of the inner layer essentially covered with an outer layer comprising a hydrophilic edible protein selected from soy isolate, milk protein concentrate, and whey protein concentrate; wherein the inner and outer layers provide an effective moisture barrier to prevent significant swelling of the edible fiber particles 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 hydrophilic edible protein layer so that the edible fiber particles swell in the stomach due to moisture absorption; and wherein the edible fiber particles are brans selected from the group consisting of cereal brans.