Microencapsulation process using melamine-formaldehyde and microcapsules produced thereby

A process for producing melamine-formaldehyde microcapsules, comprising the steps of:

• (a) preparing a reactive protective colloid by reactively coupling a surface active polymer selected from the group consisting of casein, casein salts, and partially hydrolyzed casein with a first melamine-formaldehyde pre-condensate;
• (b) preparing an aqueous solution comprising said reactive protective colloid and a second melamine-formaldehyde pre-condensate;
• (c) dispersing a discontinuous phase of substance to be encapsulated as droplets into said aqueous solution, said reactive protective colloid surrounding said droplets of said substance to be encapsulated to form an emulsion and;
• (d) causing said second melamine-formaldehyde pre-condensate and said reactive protective colloid to self-condense, said second melamine-formaldehyde pre-condensate co-condense, with said reactive protective colloid to form capsule walls around said droplets of said substance to be encapsulated thereby forming melamine-formaldehyde microcapsules.