Microencapsulation in food processing - A review study

Microencapsulation is one of the efficient, advanced and promising technologies in the field of food processing. The technology involves the protection of different valuable food constituents present in a food product by the use of a suitable covering material on it. Besides, protecting the covering material allows the release of the core material in a controlled way increases shelf life and enhances the sensory qualities. The process of microencapsulation can be done by various methods such as coacervation, polymer-polymer incompatability, solvent evaporation, spray drying, fluidized bed technology, pan coating, spinning disc, extrusion, interfacial polymerization etc. This technology is being used in various fields including pharmaceutical, vectorisation, artificial organs, single dose treatment, agriculture (fungicide, herbicide, insect repellent, artificial insemination), food, printing, cosmetic, textile and defense. No single microencapsulation process is adaptable to all core materials. It is a complicated process and requires skilled person to handle the whole process. As worldwide demands for functional coatings continue to increase, new, cost effective microencapsulation technologies will be developed and the technology will remain at the forefront of future.