A water-soluble film comprising pectin having a weight average molecular weight in the range 150,000-500,000 g/mol and wherein the film thickness is from 40 to 200 micrometres (microns). A water-soluble capsule comprising the film.

The technology disclosed in this specification pertains to pectin containing cellulosic materials. The cellulosic material is modified so that it can form strong gels when dispersed in aqueous solution. Also disclosed are methods for modifying the cellulosic materials, including, at least in some embodiments, methods to monitor changes in the infrared spectrum of the cellulosic material that happen during a modification reaction to control the reaction and obtain end products capable of making gels having the desired gel strength.

A water-soluble film comprising a pectin and bittering agent wherein the film has a thickness of at least 40 micrometres. A water soluble capsule comprising this film.

A water-soluble film comprising a polysaccharide such as pectin, or derivative thereof and a plasticiser comprising a sugar surfactant and a unit dose product comprising a substrate treatment formulation within a sealed package, the package comprising the film.

A water-soluble capsule comprising a water-soluble film and at least one internal compartment enclosed by the water-soluble film, the compartment having an internal space and containing a home care composition within the internal space, where film comprises a comprises a polysaccharide having: (i) an average molecular weight in the range 100K-1000K g/mol; (ii) one or more functional groups comprising one or more of a sulfate, sulfonate or a carboxylate group or any combination thereof; and wherein branching side chains comprising four or more units are present at a maximum of one side chain for every four units of the backbone; and wherein the film thickness is from 40 to 200 micrometres (microns).

A process for producing a water-insoluble shaped material, including a step of treating a raw material shaped material containing a water-soluble salt of a polyanionic polysaccharide with a treatment liquid containing an acid anhydride to insolubilize the raw material shaped material in water, and the process makes it possible to simply produce a water-insoluble shaped material in which intrinsic characteristics of the polyanionic polysaccharide being a raw material are retained, which has a high safety in that a chemical crosslinking agent is not required, and which is useful as a medical material, a food material, a cosmetic material, and the like.

A food-grade encapsulate which comprises gelled proteins associated with a micronutrient, preferably a dietary mineral, as well as a process for producing the encapsulates are disclosed, with low micronutrient leakage during storage.

A process for producing a water-insoluble shaped material, including a step of treating a raw material shaped material containing a water-soluble salt of a polyanionic polysaccharide with a treatment liquid containing an acid anhydride to insolubilize the raw material shaped material in water, and the process makes it possible to simply produce a water-insoluble shaped material in which intrinsic characteristics of the polyanionic polysaccharide being a raw material are retained, which has a high safety in that a chemical crosslinking agent is not required, and which is useful as a medical material, a food material, a cosmetic material, and the like.

Microencapsulation of bioactive and chemical cargo in a stable, cross-linked polymer matrix is presented that results in small particle sizes and is easily scaled-up for industrial applications. A formulation of a salt of an acid soluble multivalent ion, an acid neutralized with a volatile base and one or more monomers that cross-link in the presence of multivalent ions is atomized into droplets. Cross-linking is achieved upon atomization where the volatile base is vaporized resulting in a reduction of the pH of the formulation and the temporal release of multivalent ions from the salt that cross-link the monomers forming a capsule. The incorporation of additional polymers or hydrophobic compounds in the formulation allows control of hydration properties of the particles to control the release of the encapsulated compounds. The operational parameters can also be controlled to affect capsule properties such as particle-size and particle-size distribution.

Microencapsulation of bioactive and chemical cargo in a stable, cross-linked polymer matrix is presented that results in small particle sizes and is easily scaled-up for industrial applications. A formulation of a salt of an acid soluble multivalent ion, an acid neutralized with a volatile base and one or more monomers that cross-link in the presence of multivalent ions is atomized into droplets. Cross-linking is achieved upon atomization where the volatile base is vaporized resulting in a reduction of the pH of the formulation and the temporal release of multivalent ions from the salt that cross-link the monomers forming a capsule. The incorporation of additional polymers or hydrophobic compounds in the formulation allows control of hydration properties of the particles to control the release of the encapsulated compounds. The operational parameters can also be controlled to affect capsule properties such as particle-size and particle-size distribution.