Patent ID: 7431986

Claim:
A method for encapsulating an encapsulant, comprising: admixing an oil component which comprises an encapsulant, with an aqueous component, and a film-forming component to form an emulsion, subjecting the emulsion to homogenization to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion comprising oil droplets wherein the oil droplets comprise the encapsulant and have a diameter of less than about 50 microns, after said homogenization, admixing the emulsion with a plasticizable matrix material to form a dough, so that the film-forming component forms a film round the oil droplets and encapsulates said encapsulant, wherein said plasticizable matrix material is plasticized by said aqueous component to thereby encapsulate the film-coated oil droplets within said plasticized matrix material, forming the dough into pieces, and drying the pieces.