GAT Food Essentials wins functional food microencapsulation award

The proprietary water-in-oil-in-water (wowCAPS) technology offers enhanced protection to functional food ingredients by preventing the oxidation and degradation which can occur during food processing.

This enhances the shelf life of functional food and beverage products while also facilitating a controlled and targeted release of the microencapsulated active ingredient inside the human body, according to a statement from Frost & Sullivan.

Unique technology platform​

The company’s research analyst, V Bhuvaneshwari said: "WowCAPS microencapsulation technology is a unique technology platform that enables stabilisation of a wide range of active ingredients, including oils, oil suspensions, and water solubles.​

"This innovative microencapsulation technology offers a natural, stable, and safe solution for functional food ingredients."​

The process has been used to microencapsulate ingredients for dairy products, beverages, baked goods and other products including sausages, ham, and sauces.

It can be adapted to a wide range of food ingredients such as PUFAs (omega-3s), nutritional oils, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, among others, said Bhuvaneshwari.

GAT Food Essentials said its microencapsulation technology and process also allows for organic certification of its functional food ingredients.

It also confirmed its intention to expand its microencapsulation technology to other food and beverage applications such as probiotics for the functional food industry. "The company is carrying out several research initiatives pertaining to the use of nano-capsules in the beverage industry​,” said Bhuvaneshwari.

Nano-scale​

Its intention is to: “…eliminate unpleasant odours and tastes and to avoid the sensory experience of the capsules by reducing their size to the nano-scale in beverage applications," ​he added.

Frost & Sullivan's Technology Innovation Award is given to a company, or individual, that has carried out new research resulting in innovation which promises significant benefits to the industry.

“The award recognises the quality and depth of a company's research and development program as well as the vision and risk-taking that enabled it to undertake such an endeavour​,” said a company statement.