Encapsulation process utilizing microorganisms and products produced thereby
AssigneeSwift & Company
InventorJoseph L. Shank
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Substances such as dyes, drugs, condiments, flavors, aromas, chemicals, vitamins, adhesives, and the like are provided as encapsulated within the cells of microorganisms. Microorganisms such as yeasts, fungi, molds, and protozoa are grown in a medium so as to promote the formation of biological capsules, such as by forming relatively large globules of fat within the cell wall. A substance such as a dye, a drug, a condiment, a flavor, an aroma, a chemical, a vitamin, an adhesive, and the like is passed through the cell wall of the microorganism and into the biological capsule thereby producing an encapsulated product.
Claims20
An encapsulation process comprising the steps of:
- growing a fungus under conditions that produce a fungus having a fat content of about 40 to 60% by weight, passing a fat-soluble substance into the fat within the grown fungus by placing said fungus into contiguous contact with said substance to thereby encapsulate said substance, said fat-soluble substance being passively retained within said fat and not being a natural constituent of the fungus;
- and harvesting said encapsulated substance.
An encapsulation process comprising the steps of:
- growing a fungus in a nutrient medium that is nitrogen deficient to thereby enhance fat formation within the fungus so that the fungus has a fat content of about 40 to 60% by weight;
- passing a fat-soluble substance through the grown fungus and into the fat cells thereof by placing said fungus into contact with said substance to thereby encapsulate said substance, said fat-soluble substance being passively retained within said fat an not being a natural constituent of the fungus;
- softening the cell walls by placing the cells into contact with a proteolytic enzyme and harvesting the thus encapsulated substance.
An encapsulation process comprising the steps of:
- growing a fungus in a nutrient medium that is nitrogen deficient to thereby enhance fat formation within the fungus so that the fungus has a fat content of about 40 to 60% by weight;
- promoting encapsulation of a fat-soluble substance by passage thereof into the grown fungus by placing said fungus into contact with said substance and heating same, said fat-soluble substance being passively retained within said fat and not being a natural constituent of the fungus;
- and harvesting the thus encapsulated substance.
An encapsulated product comprising a capsule that is a fungus having a fat content of about 40 to 60% by weight, and a fat-soluble substance encapsulated and passively retained within said fat of the fungus, said fat soluble substance not being a natural constituent of the fungus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.