Process for producing coated particles

Abstract

The present patent application relates to coated particles. These coated particles show improved properties when used in compressed tablets.

Claims

1. A process for the production of coated particles having a core and a coating layer surrounding the core, wherein the process comprises the steps of: (a) forming cores of the coated particles by introducing into a top spraying device 40 wt-% 95 wt-%, based on the total weight of the coated particles, of a core material which consists of: (i) at least 20 wt-%, based on the total weight of the solid particles, of at least one fat soluble vitamin, (ii) at least one emulsifier, and (iii) at least one non-reducing sugar, (b) introducing into the top spraying device 5 wt-%-60 wt-%, based on the total weight of the coated particles, of a coating system which comprises at least one wax and/or at least one fat selected from the group consisting of carnauba wax, candelilla wax, sugarcane wax and (fully) hydrogenated palm oil, and (c) operating the top spraying device to spray a molten form of the coating system onto the cores to thereby form the coated particles each comprised of a core formed of the core material and a deformable coating layer having an irregular thickness and a plurality of vacuoles formed of the coating system surrounding the core, wherein the top spraying device is operated throughout steps (a)-(c) at an atomizing air pressure of 1 bar and an atomizing air temperature of 100 to 120° C.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is practiced by introducing the cores into the top spraying device at room temperature.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein step (c) includes maintaining an inlet temperature of the top spraying device at a constant temperature.

4. The process according to claim 3, wherein the inlet temperature is maintained at a constant temperature of 30-60° C.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the step (c) includes operating the top spraying device so as to maintain a constant spraying rate for the molten form of the coating system.

6. The process according to claim 5, wherein the spraying rate is maintained at a constant spraying rate of 2 g.Math.min.sup.−1 up to 8 g.Math.min.sup.−1.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the at least one wax and/or at least one fat of the coating system has a dropping point of from 30 to 85° C.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the dropping point of the at least one wax and/or at least one fat of the coating system is 40 to 70° C.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the coated particles comprise 50 wt-%-90 wt-%, based on the total weight of the coated particles, of the core and 10 wt-%-50 wt-%, based on the total weight of the coated particles, of the coating system.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the at least fat soluble vitamin is at least one selected from the group consisting of vitamins A, D, E, and K and derivative thereof.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein a longest dimension of the vacuoles is from 1 nm to 200 μm.

12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the deformable coating layer covers at least 80% of the core and has a thickness of up to about 200 μm.

13. The process according to claim 12, wherein the thickness of the deformable coating layer is up to 100 μm.

Description

FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1: Schematic drawing of a coated particle (cross section)

(2) The invention is illustrated by the following Examples. All temperatures are given in ° C. and all parts and percentages are related to the weight.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

(3) About 1250 g of particles containing vitamin A acetate having a particle size distribution between 150 μm and 600 μm were coated on a GEA-Niro-AEROMATIC MP1 fluidized bed coating using top spray set up. About 536.0 g of palm oil FH was molten. The cores were introduced into the reactor at room temperature and warmed up at 42° C. The process was then started by spraying the molten palm oil FH on the core with a spraying rate of 5 g.Math.min.sup.−1 up to 6 g.Math.min.sup.−1. An atomizing air pressure of 1 bar and an atomizing air temperature of 100 to 120° C. were used for the entire process. The inlet temperature kept constant at 40° C. and the product temperature monitored. The product was cooled down to room temperature into the reactor. The collected free flowing product was sieved to isolate three main fractions.

(4) Total product collected 1640 g.

(5) Yield below 500 μm: 98.6%

(6) TABLE-US-00001 Sieving Amount of characteristics product [%] <160 μm <0.1 160-500 μm 98.6 >500 μm 1.4 Total 100.0