Inventors:
Merle E. Carr - Chillicothe IL
William M. Doane - Morton IL
Robert E. Wing - Peoria IL
Edward B. Bagley - Morton IL
Assignee:
The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of
Agriculture - Washington DC
International Classification:
B01J 1304
A29C 4700
A61K 962
A61K 916
Abstract:
Biologically active agents to be encapsulated are continuously blended with a starchy material and water, subjected to high-shear mechanical action at a temperature above the gelatinization temperature of starch, and continuously recovered as an insolubilized matrix of starch that entraps discontinuous domains of the agent. Alternatively, the core material to be encapsulated is added and blended with the aqueous dispersion of starch after the starch and water have been subjected to an elevated temperature sufficient to gelatinize the starch. Rate of release of agents to the environment can be controlled by preselecting a set of conditions related to various processing parameters. Encapsulation of biologically active compositons provides protection against degradative environmental conditions, improves safety in handling, and slows the release of such compounds to the surrounding medium.