Kapsulatsioon

Kapsulatsioon is a process used in various fields, including medicine, food science, and manufacturing, to enclose a substance or object within a protective coating or shell. This coating, often referred to as a capsule or shell, serves multiple purposes depending on the application. In pharmaceuticals, kapsulatsioon is commonly used to create capsules that contain powdered or liquid medications. This can help mask the taste of unpleasant-tasting drugs, protect sensitive ingredients from degradation by stomach acid, or control the release rate of the medication into the body, allowing for sustained or targeted delivery.

In the food industry, kapsulatsioon is employed to protect flavors, nutrients, or active ingredients. For example, it can be used to encapsulate vitamins to prevent oxidation or to create microencapsulated flavorings that are released upon chewing or cooking. This technique helps to improve the shelf life, stability, and sensory properties of food products.

Beyond pharmaceuticals and food, kapsulatsioon finds applications in materials science and manufacturing. It can be used to create microcapsules containing dyes for printing inks, or to encapsulate catalysts for chemical reactions. The process itself can involve various methods, such as spray drying, coacervation, or pan coating, with the chosen technique depending on the properties of the core material and the desired characteristics of the final capsule. The resulting capsule can range in size from microscopic to macroscopic.