Controlled release of food ingredients at the right place and the right time is a key functionality that can be provided by microencapsulation A timely and targeted release improves the effectiveness of food additives, broadens the application range of food ingredients and ensures optimal dosage, thereby improving cost-effectiveness for the food manufacturer Reactive, sensitive or volatile additives (vitamins, cultures, flavors, etc) can be turned into stable ingredients through microencapsulation With carefully fine-tuned controlled release properties, microencapsulation is no longer just an added value technique, but the source of totally new ingredients with matchless properties

Microencapsulation: industrial appraisal of existing technologies and trends

This review is devoted to the most recent developments (2000–2005) of sol–gel materials at the interface with biology. In the context of bioencapsulation in mineral hosts, novel synthetic approaches have been designed, allowing the immobilization of numerous proteins, enzymes and immune molecules as well as poly-saccharides, phospholipids and nucleic acids. These efforts have led to the development of new biosensors and bioreactors. A similar trend was also observed for whole cell encapsulation, survival periods over several weeks now being achieved. This has opened the possibility of designing hybrid hosts for cell-based biosensing and bioproduction, ultimately allowing the development of artificial organs. Indeed, applications of sol–gel processes are not restricted to bioencapsulation, as demonstrated by recent progress in drug release systems and bioactive materials. Finally, the considerable efforts devoted to the biomimetic elaboration of mineral structures suggest that they might be the key for future development of improved sol–gel materials for bio-applications.

Recent bio-applications of sol–gel materials

The sol−gel encapsulation of labile biological materials with catalytic and recognition functions within robust polymer matrices remains a challenging task, despite the considerable research that has been focused on this field. Herein, we describe a new class of precursors, based around polyol silicates and polyol siloxanes, especially those derived from glycerol, that addresses problems faced with traditional bioencapsulation protocols. Poly(glyceryl silicate) (PGS) was prepared and employed for sol−gel bioentrapment, in an approach distinguished by a high biocompatibility and mild encapsulation conditions, and which enables the reproducible and efficient confinement of proteins and cells inside silica. The methodology was extended to metallosilicate, alkylsiloxane, functionalized siloxane, and composite sol−gels, thereby allowing the fabrication of a physicochemically diverse range of bio-doped polymers. The hybrid materials display activities approaching those of the free biologicals, together with the...

Encapsulation of Biologicals within Silicate, Siloxane, and Hybrid Sol−Gel Polymers: An Efficient and Generic Approach

https://www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology/pdf/S0167-7799(00)01457-8.pdf

Bioencapsulation within synthetic polymers (Part 1): sol–gel encapsulated biologicals

Nonporous Silica Nanoparticles for Nanomedicine Application

Entrapment of viable microorganisms by SiO2 sol-gel layers on glass surfaces: trapping, catalytic performance and immobilization durability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

L. Inama

Papers

Entrapment of viable microorganisms by SiO2 sol-gel layers on glass surfaces: trapping, catalytic performance and immobilization durability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.