High-Melting Fat Extrusion for Stable Food Ingredient Encapsulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing encapsulation processes for food and feedstuff ingredients are inefficient, requiring high machine effort and result in encapsulated products that are not stable at room temperature, difficult to dose, and release ingredients prematurely in the stomach rather than the small intestine.

Innovation Solution

A process involving extrusion of ingredients with a high melting point fat, optionally mixed with low-melting fat, to create fat-encapsulated pellets that are stable at room temperature and release ingredients only in the small intestine, using a twin-screw extruder to mix and cool the fat-ingredient mixture below the melting point for easy dosing and controlled release.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If existing encapsulation processes are used, then encapsulation is achieved, but high machine effort is required and productivity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of processVSAvoidproductivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical state parameters of the fat material, utilizing its transition from solid to liquid and back to solid during the extrusion process. The fat is heated above its melting point to become liquid for mixing, then cooled below the melting point to solidify and form the encapsulation matrix, enabling simple continuous processing with high productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The process exploits the phase transition of fat between solid and liquid states. By heating the fat above its melting point, it becomes liquid and mixable with ingredients; during extrusion and cooling below the melting point, it solidifies to form stable encapsulated pellets, enabling efficient continuous manufacturing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

2Reliability

If existing encapsulation processes are used, then encapsulation is achieved, but the encapsulated products are not stable at room temperature

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestabilityVSAvoidroom temperature stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention controls the temperature parameter during processing and storage. By cooling the extruded material below the melting point of the fat, the encapsulation matrix solidifies and maintains its structural integrity at room temperature, ensuring stability during storage and handling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The process creates a composite material system where fat forms the encapsulation matrix and ingredients are embedded within. This composite structure provides mechanical stability at room temperature while maintaining the functional properties of the encapsulated ingredients

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of operation

If existing encapsulation processes are used, then encapsulation is achieved, but the products are difficult to dose and not free-flowing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of dosingVSAvoidfree-flowing property

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

By controlling the cooling process to solidify the fat matrix completely below its melting point, the encapsulated pellets achieve a free-flowing granular state. This solidified composite structure behaves like free-flowing powder or granules, enabling easy dosing and handling while maintaining compositional stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

4Reliability

If existing encapsulation processes are used, then encapsulation is achieved, but ingredients are released prematurely in the stomach rather than the small intestine

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrolled releaseVSAvoidrelease location

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The encapsulation system is designed to maintain structural integrity at gastric temperatures through the solid fat matrix, preventing premature release. The pellets are intended to pass through the stomach intact and release ingredients in the small intestine where conditions facilitate dissolution and ingredient release

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Produces encapsulated ingredients that are stable, free-flowing, and easy to dose, with controlled release in the small intestine, maintaining ingredient stability and biological activity while reducing microbial content.

Implementation Method 1

heating the fat, e.g. to a temperature at which the fat is flowable... to produce flowable fat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 2

cooling the flowable mixture in the extruder to the melting temperature of the fat or below... to produce a free-flowing consistency

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFreezing: Freezing

Data Source

PatentUS12446609B2Process for encapsulating solid and liquid additives for foodstuffs

Publication Date: 2025.10.21 DEUTES INSTITUT FUR LEBENSMITTELTECHN

AI summary

A process for producing a fat-encapsulated ingredient. A fat is metered into an extruder, the fat having a melting point of at least 50° C. The fat is heated in in the extruder during rotation of at least one screw. At least one ingredient is metered into a barrel of the extruder to produce a flowable mixture. The flowable mixture is cooled in a a downstream adjacent section of the extruder barrel. The mixture is subsequently discharged through an extruder die. After discharge, the mixture is comminuted.