Today, nano- and microencapsulation are increasingly being utilized in the pharmaceutical, textile, agricultural and food industries. Microencapsulation is a process in which tiny particles or droplets of a food are surrounded by a coating to give small capsules. These capsules can be imagined as tiny uniform spheres, in which the particles at the core are protected from outside elements by the protective coating. For example, vitamins can be encapsulated to protect them from the deterioration they would undergo if they were exposed to oxygen. This book highlights the principles, applications, toxicity and regulation of nano- and microencapsulated foods. Section I describes the theories and concepts of nano- and microencapsulation for foods adapted from pharmaceutical areas, rationales and new strategies of encapsulation, and protection and controlled release of food ingredients. Section II looks closely at the nano- and microencapsulation of food ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, phytochemical, lipid, probiotics and flavors. This section provides a variety of references for functional food ingredients with various technologies of nano particles and microencapsulation. This section will be helpful to food processors and will deal with food ingredients for making newly developed functional food products. Section III covers the application of encapsulated ingredients to various foods, such as milk and dairy products, beverages, bakery and confectionery products, and related food packaging materials. Section IV touches on other related issues in nano- and microencapsulation, such as bioavailability, bioactivity, potential toxicity and regulation.

Today, nano- and microencapsulation are increasingly beingutilized in the pharmaceutical, textile, agricultural and foodindustries. Microencapsulation is a process in which tiny particlesor droplets of a food are surrounded by a coating to give smallcapsules. These capsules can be imagined as tiny uniform spheresin which the particles at the core are protected from outsideelements by the protective coating. For example, vitamins can beencapsulated to protect them from the deterioration they wouldundergo if they were exposed to oxygen.This book highlights the principles, applications, toxicity andregulation of nano- and microencapsulated foods.Section I describes the theories and concepts of nano- andmicroencapsulation for foods adapted from pharmaceutical areasrationales and new strategies of encapsulation, and protection andcontrolled release of food ingredients.Section II looks closely at the nano- and microencapsulation offood ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, phytochemical, lipidprobiotics and flavors. This section provides a variety ofreferences for functional food ingredients with varioustechnologies of nano particles and microencapsulation. This sectionwill be helpful to food processors and will deal with foodingredients for making newly developed functional foodproducts.Section III covers the application of encapsulated ingredientsto various foods, such as milk and dairy products, beveragesbakery and confectionery products, and related food packagingmaterials.Section IV touches on other related issues in nano- andmicroencapsulation, such as bioavailability, bioactivity, potentialtoxicity and regulation.