Particulate vitamin composition

Abstract

A particulate composition comprising (a) an oil of a vitamin, an oil containing one or more vitamin or a derivative, (b) a gelling agent of vegetable origin, having a glass transition point greater than 20° C., and (c) a protein, except gelatine.

1 . A particulate composition comprising (a) an oil of a vitamin, an oil containing one or more vitamin or a derivative, (b) a gelling agent of vegetable origin, having a glass transition point greater than 20° C., and (c) a protein, except gelatine  
     
     
         2 . A composition as claimed in  claim 1  in which the vitamin is vitamin A, vitamin D3 or vitamin E or a mixture of these vitamins  
     
     
         3 . A composition as claimed in  claim 2  in which the vitamin is vitamin A  
     
     
         4 . A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the gelling agent is selected from agarose, carrageenan, a carrageenan-carob mixture, native or modified cellulose, native or modified starch, xantham gum, acacia gum, arabic gum, gellan gum and guar.  
     
     
         5 . A composition as claimed in  claim 4  in which the gelling agent is carrageenan, modified starch or acacia gum.  
     
     
         6 . A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the protein is selected from vegetable proteins, wheat gluten proteins, soya proteins, milk proteins and fish proteins.  
     
     
         7 . A composition as claimed in  claim 6  in which the protein is a vegetable protein or a milk protein.  
     
     
         8 . A composition as claimed in  claim 7  in which the protein is casein.  
     
     
         9 . A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising an inorganic carrier which is a Group II metal phosphate or carbonate salt.  
     
     
         10 . A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a sugar or a sugar mix selected from glycerol, sorbitol, malitol, xylitol, glucose, lactose, fructose, sucrose, mannose, maltose and saccharose or a mixture thereof, glucose syrup or maltodextrines.  
     
     
         11 . A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising an antioxidant.  
     
     
         12 . A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising a finite amount of water.  
     
     
         13 . A process for the preparation of a vitamin composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which comprises (a) a first step of preparing an aqueous solution or suspension of the gelling agent, the protein, optionally the inorganic carrier and the sugar, (b) a second step of adding an oil solution of the vitamin and optionally the antioxidant to create an oil in water emulsion, (c) a third step of adding the oil in water emulsion to a vegetable oil to create an oil-water-oil emulsion, (d) a fourth step of cooling said oil-water-oil emulsion to solidify the particles, and (d) a fifth step of recovering and drying the particles characterised in that the gelling agent is agarose, carrageenan, or a carrageenan-carob mixture.  
     
     
         14 . A process for the preparation of a vitamin composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which comprises (a) a first step of preparing an aqueous solution or suspension of a gelling agent, a protein, optionally in the presence of an inorganic carrier and the sugar, (b) a second step of adding an oil solution of a vitamin optionally in the presence of an antioxidant to create an oil in water emulsion, (c) a third step of subjecting the emulsion to high pressure, (d) a fourth step of atomising the emulsion, thereby creating droplets and (e) a fifth step of drying said droplets to provide particles characterised in that the gelling agent is modified or native starch, modified or native cellulose, xantham gum, arabic gum, acacia gum gellan gum or guar gum.