NUMBER 2
MARCH/APRIL 1994
Encapsulation: A New
Concept for the Food
Industry?
Sally Moorhouse and Valerie Grundon
The concept of soft gelatin capsules containing
food ingredients such as colours, spices and
seasonings is not new. However, in the UK, it is a
type of food product that has not yet been widely
developed and its potential has not been fully
realized.
What Are Soft Gelatin Capsules?
Soft gelatin capsules are most commonly used in
pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food supplement
products. In these preparations, gelatin is used as
the basic capsule shell component and it is
formulated with suitable ingredients to
encapsulate a wide variety of materials to produce
products with a whole range of different
performance characteristics, for example, shape,
colour, textures and solubilities in water.
Gelatin’s special properties are of particular
interest in foods since the material acts as a
barrier and protects the liquid capsule contents
from the outside environment. For example, it
acts as a physical barrier to bacteria, yeasts and
moulds. It also provides a low permeability
membrane to gases, retarding the ingress of
oxygen.
The gelatin shell provides a see-through aseptic
packaging material which is capable of being
formed in a wide range of sizes and shapes, from
0.1 ml to 30.0 ml. It also has the unique property
of dissolving quickly in hot water, releasing the
encapsulated liquid, which can be consumed
along with the food.
Nutrition & Food Science, No. 2, March/April 1994, pp. 17-19
© MCB University Press, 0034-6659
17
The Encapsulation Process
Two continuous strips of molten gelatin are
brought together simultaneously and the fill
formulation is injected between two strips. Size
and shape are determined by the die roll.
Development of the Application for the
Food Industry
RP Scherer Limited, the only UK encapsulation
company, is currently expanding many areas for
its development of food capsules. The areas that it
considers best for this technique are flavourings,
spices and seasonings. For this group of materials,
the value of soft gelatin capsules preventing
oxidation while retaining volatile flavours and
aromas translates directly into quality advantages
as well as appreciable savings in the amounts of
food materials used.
What Are the Advantages of
Encapsulation?
Softgel technology can be applied to a wide range
of food products, bringing significant benefits to
both manufacturer and consumer. Examples
include:
● Portion control. Softgels are the ideal way to
control ingredients and weighing precision,
reducing waste during manufacture.
● Spillage and pungency. Softgel technology
eliminates the serious issue of “taint”
problems in food manufacture, avoids the need
 NUTRITION &
FOOD SCIENCE
for specialized machinery and reduces
cleaning time. Consumers will find softgels
easy to use and store.
● Extended shelf-life. Softgels preserve product
freshness and thereby improve product quality.
They also allow certain ingredients, which
would otherwise have to be chilled or frozen,
to be stored at ambient temperatures.
● Improved aesthetic appeal. Softgels come in a
variety of shapes and colours and can be
printed, which increases differentiation and
avoids confusion. It also makes the product
more attractive to consumers.
● Variety of sizes available. Minute quantities of
ingredients such as colourings and
concentrated flavours can be more easily
controlled within a softgel than in sachets or
other similar forms of packaging. Consumers
will find them easy to handle.
● Disposability and edibility. When used in a
packaging capacity, the softgel can be of a
twist-off design for easy extraction of
ingredients. When used as an “edible
package”, softgels open up tremendous
opportunities for a range of food sectors.
● Improved aromatics. Softgels maintain flavour
and smell, improving product quality.
● Substitute product. Where “real” products,
such as fruit, cannot be used because of short
shelf-life, encapsulated fruit pulps or similar
foods can be substituted. This ensures good
appearance and extended shelf-life.
● Biodegradability. In an environmentally
conscious age, when most food packaging
cannot be recycled or disposed of adequately,
the biodegradability of softgels is a great
manufacturing and consumer plus.
The Encapsulation Process
18
Some Products using Soft Gel
The Application in Use
There are companies who have already
discovered the benefits of soft gelatin capsules. In
the US, food corporation, Borden Inc. of
Columbus, Ohio, use “real chicken broth”
capsules for their Mrs Grass brand of soup mixes.
The capsule adds texture and flavour to the dried
food mix without the need to flush with gas, while
retaining and delivering the flavour more
effectively than the powder system.
Bordon Inc. considers the addition of the
capsule a value-added item. It is regarded as a
product benefit which the customer can see and
understand and the presence of the capsule is
“flashed” on the pack to reinforce the message.
In the UK, Scherer supplies Homepride Foods
with soft gelatin capsules containing lemon oil for
its Meringue Pie mix. In addition Scherer also
supplies mint essence capsules for the tinned
goods market. Both applications are considered to
be cost-effective and to conserve the freshness of
flavour, without the need for additives or
preservatives.
Consumer Attitudes towards Food
Capsules
Consumer research, recently carried out by
Scherer to explore the potential for food
ingredients presented in soft gelatin capsules, has
shown positive results.
Consumers had few reservations about
introducing a capsule directly into food during
cooking. Portion control, the masking of pungent
odours, convenience, and ease of use were all
perceived advantages of this presentation form,
particularly where messy or difficult to control
ingredients, such as fat and chilli, were involved.
 NUMBER 2
MARCH/APRIL 1994

The concept of encapsulated chicken stock was The qualitative research was carried out in the
also put forward as part of the research. north and south of England and in Scotland,
Respondents liked the idea as they considered among women from BC1 and C1C2 backgrounds
that, compared with other stock products, a who considered themselves to be “interested in
capsule could give a quick dissolution time with a cooking”.
lump-free distribution of ingredients.
Once it was explained to the respondents that
the shell preserves the freshness, flavour and
aroma of the ingredients, without the need for What Is the Future for Encapsulation?
preservatives, they recognized this as another RP Scherer Limited believes that soft gelatin
advantage of encapsulation. capsules offer exciting opportunities for the
Capsules were also accepted when presented as development of novel products for the food
part of another product, for example, dry mixes, industry. The application possibilities are
instant food and microwavable products. For extensive and the potential for creating new
these products, the addition of a capsule brought market opportunities tremendous.
advantages in terms of improved texture and
freshness of flavour.
Scherer found the results of the research
encouraging as it shows that consumers have few Sally Moorhouse is Food Marketing Manager and
reservations about encapsulated food ingredients,
Valerie Grundon is at Valerie Grundon Public
whether as an addition to their own cooking or as
Relations, UK.
part of a manufactured product.

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