Preserved nutrients and products

An encapsulated product which comprises (a) at least one nutrient, which is in particulate form, and (b) a gelatinized carbohydrate or polymerized vegetable high protein encapsulating agent which encapsulates the nutrient particles, said product prepared by:

• (a) admixing at least one high-protein vegetable encapsulating agent or carbohydrate vegetable encapsulating agent and at least one nutrient, said high protein vegetable encapsulating agent containing only up to 40 percent by weight of starch and non-protein nitrogenous material, from about 1 to about 40 parts by weight of said nutrient being present per 100 parts by weight of said encapsulating agent, said high protein or carbohydrate vegetable encapsulating agent being selected from the group consisting of corn flour, cottonseed flour, soybean flour, wheat flour, and wheat gluten flour and said encapsulating agent being in a viscid state before admixture step (a) because of added water;
• (b) gelatinizing or polymerizing the encapsulating agent and forming an expanded product therefrom which encompasses the nutrient by extruding the above admixture at a temperature between about 250.degree. to 450.degree. F. and at a pressure between about 200 p.s.i. and about 2500 p.s.i. for a time between about 3 seconds and about 3 minutes, whereby the extrudate expands due to flash evaporation of the water upon exiting from the extruder;
• and (c) cooling the resultant expanded extrudate to form and encapsulated nutrient product containing air spaces.