CHEMICALLY CROSSLINKED PROTEIN-POLYSACCHARIDE COMPLEXED CONSUMABLE MACROCAPSULE

Abstract

A consumable macromolecular article of manufacture formed by the complexation of protein and polysaccharide polymers stabilized by chemical crosslinking and subsequently cast and molded into macrocapsules of at least 1 mm in diameter. The resulting macrocapsules are a highly versatile delivery product capable of encapsulating and stably retaining a wide range of active ingredients, both liquids and solids, in the amorphous regions of the complexed and crosslinked macromolecular structure, and releasing such active ingredients only upon chewing and/or upon exposure to the digestive environment. Dissimilar layers may be utilized to combine multiple active ingredients and/or control the active ingredient release profiles. The article of manufacture is thermally stable and structurally robust providing relatively low-cost commercial manufacture and distribution and exhibiting a texture and consistency that is organolepically pleasing.

Claims

1. An innovative article of manufacture for the consumption of a variety of active ingredients, said article of manufacture apparatus comprising: a water-soluble protein; a water-soluble polysaccharide; an active ingredient; and an chemical crosslinker, wherein said water-soluble protein and water-soluble polysaccharide are complexed, chemical crosslinked by said chemical crosslinker, and cast into molds to form macrocapsules which retain at least 95 percent of all ingredients by weight.

2. An article of manufacture as in claim 1 in which said macrocapsules are greater than 1 mm in diameter.

3. An article of manufacture as in claim 2 in which said macrocapsules are between 1 mm and 300 mm in diameter.

4. An article of manufacture as in claim 1 in which said macrocapsules comprise: between 0.5% and 25% by weight said water-soluble protein; between 0.5% and 40% by weight said water-soluble polysaccharide; and between 0.5% and 90% by weight said active ingredient.

5. An article of manufacture as in claim 1 wherein said macrocapsules demonstrate thermal stability up to temperature of 60 degrees Celsius.

6. An article of manufacture as in claim 1 wherein said macrocapsules demonstrate structural stability under at least 5 Newton of compressive force.

7. An article of manufacture of claim 1 in which the protein polysaccharide macromolecular complex is chemically or physically crosslinked.

8. An article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the macromolecular complex are formed by chemical reactions that are initiated by changes in temperature, pressure, and/or pH.

9. An article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein said active ingredient may comprise either a solid, liquid, or solid dissolved in solvent and at least 95 percent of said active ingredient survives the manufacturing process and is present in the finished article of manufacture.

10. An innovative delivery platform for the consumption of a variety of active ingredients, said article of manufacture apparatus comprising: between 0.5% and 25% by weight water-soluble protein; between 0.5% and 40% by weight water-soluble polysaccharide; between 0.5% and 90% by weight active ingredient; and an chemical crosslinker, wherein said water-soluble protein and water-soluble polysaccharide are complexed and chemical crosslinked to form macrocapsules at least 1 mm in diameter

11. An article of manufacture as in claim 1 wherein said water soluble protein is a protein selected form the following group: porcine gelatin with a bloom strength of 200-300 bloom; collagen; keratin; myofibrillar protein; whey protein concentrate; whey protein isolate; whey protein hydrolysate; native whey, native whey concentrate; native whey isolate, casein, ovalbumin, ovomucoid, ovoglobulin, conalbumin, vitellin, vitellenin, legumin, albumin, and any combination thereof.

12. An article of manufacture as in claim 1 wherein said water soluble polysaccacaride is a polysaccharide selected form the following group: pectin; agar; iota carrageenan; kappa carrageenan gum; gum arabic; sucrose; pullulan; guar gum; locust bean gum; chitosan; hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose; carboxyl methyl cellulose; cellulose; konjac gum; gellan gum; dextran; dextrin; glucose, chitin; tragacanth gum; karaya gum; tara gum; carob; fenugreek; beta-mannan; galactomannans; beta glucan; sodium alginate; inulin, poly dextrose; hemo cellulose; glycogrn; starch; modified starch; maltodextrin; galactan; isolichen; laminaran; lavans; yeast mannan; and any combination thereof.

13. An article of manufacture as in claim 1 wherein said chemical crosslinker is a crosslinker selected form the following group: transglutaminase; genipin; glutaraldehyde; tannic acid (tannin); potassium aluminum sulfate, sodium sulfate polyamines; oxidized dextrins; hydrazides; alkoxyamines; ketones; periodic acid; calcium chloride; calcium carbonate; calcium citrate; potassium citrate, and any combination thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0047] The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary implementations and are part of the specification. The illustrated implementations are proffered for purposes of example not for purposes of limitation. Illustrated elements will be designated by numbers. Once designated, an element will be identified by the identical number throughout. Illustrated in the accompanying drawings in at least one of the best mode embodiments of the present disclosure. In such drawings:

[0048] FIG. 1 is an perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule.

[0049] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule.

[0050] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule that is depicted in the grasp of an index finger and thumb of a human hand for size context.

[0051] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule illustrating a homogenous distribution of the encapsulated active ingredient.

[0052] FIG. 4B is a plan view of a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule illustrating a homogenous distribution of the encapsulated active ingredient.

[0053] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule illustrating distribution of heterogeneous concentrations of encapsulated active ingredient.

[0054] FIG. 5B is a plan view of a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule illustrating a distribution of heterogeneous concentrations of encapsulated active ingredient.

[0055] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule illustrating distribution of heterogeneous concentrations of encapsulated active ingredient surrounded by a dissimilar exterior layer for the purposes of controlling the release profile.

[0056] FIG. 6B is a plan view of a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule illustrating distribution of heterogeneous concentrations of encapsulated active ingredient surrounded by a dissimilar exterior layer for the purposes of controlling the release profile.

[0057] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule illustrating the homogeneous distribution of the encapsulated active ingredient surrounded by multiple dissimilar exterior layers for the purposes of controlling the release profile.

[0058] FIG. 7B is a plan view of a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule illustrating the homogeneous distribution of the encapsulated active ingredient surrounded by multiple dissimilar exterior layers for the purposes of controlling the release profile.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT'S DEPICTED IN THE DRAWINGS

[0059] The drawing figures illustrate various exemplary embodiments of the chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable article of manufacture in at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiments, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications to what is described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Further, it must be understood that what is illustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as a limitation in the scope of the presently described article of manufacture.

[0060] Illustrated in FIG. 1. is a novel and innovative chemically crosslinked protein-polysaccharide complexed consumable macrocapsule 10 capable of encapsulating a wide variety of active ingredients. The article of manufacture 10 is able to exhibit a desired blend of physical, thermal, and organoleptic properties because of the unique individual properties of both the protein and polysaccharide subparts and because of the complex and synergistic manner in which they are combined and made irreversible by crosslinking.

[0061] FIG. 2 illustrates a cross section of the same macrocapsule 10 showing that the active ingredient is homogeneously distributed throughout the macrocapsule 10. The illustration includes a flake-like pattern 20 representing the possibility of a non-liquid active ingredient homogeneously distributed throughout the macrocapsule 10.

[0062] In FIG. 3 illustrates a cross section of a macrocapsule 10 being held between an index finger and a thumb. This illustration is not intended to be limiting. As previously stated and claimed, macrocapsules 10 can exhibit a range of sizes greater than 1 mm in diameter. A typical microcapsule 10 will have a diameter between 1 and 300 mm. Further, because macrocapsules 10 are cast is molds, they do not have to be spherical. Macrocapsules 10 can be formed in any shape that can be created by a mold. When referencing nonspherical macrocapsules 10, any reference to diameter refers to the largest cross sectional length.

[0063] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrates a cross section of a macrocapsule 10 showing that the active ingredient is homogeneously distributed 20 throughout the macrocapsule 10 without the flake-like pattern illustrated in FIG. 2. This illustration depicts either a soluble active ingredient or a liquid active ingredient. The presently disclosed chemically crosslinked protein polysaccharide macrocapsule 10 is capable of encapsulating both liquid and solid active ingredients in the amorphous regions of the complexed and chemically crosslinked polymers that form the macrocapsule 10.

[0064] FIGS. 5A and 5B both illustrate a cross sections of an exemplary macrocapsule 10 showing active ingredients heterogeneously distributed throughout in inclusions 30. The inclusions 30 could represent the only active ingredient that the macrocapsule 10 is delivering or they could be in additional to other active ingredients that are homogeneously distributed throughout the macrocapule 30. In some embodiments, the inclusions 30 could be microcapsules 10 used to control the release profile of the active ingredients.

[0065] FIGS. 6A and 6B both illustrate a cross sections of an exemplary macrocapsule 10 similar to the embodiment illustrated the FIGS. 5A and 5B except that it further includes a distinctly separate external layer 40 that may contain different active ingredients and/or different release profiles. In some embodiments there may be multiple layers 40 with multiple different active ingredients and/or release profiles such as illustrated in FIG. 7. In other embodiments, an outer coating 40 may contain no active ingredient or release profile an serve the function to protect the macrocapsule 10 from the external environment.

[0066] The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over the prior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of at least one aspect of the presently described article of manufacture, and to the achievement of the above-described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material, or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus, if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word(s) describing the element.

[0067] The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein are meant to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structures, materials or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense, it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements described and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim.

[0068] Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and its various embodiments. Therefore, substitutions, now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art, are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what incorporates the essential ideas.

[0069] The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that the named inventors believe that the claimed subject matter is what is intended to be patented