Numerous studies have shown how the taste of food supplements and nutraceuticals affects their use by consumers. The unpleasant taste of some raw materials is enough to make it difficult to take the product day after day. IPS has succeeded in overcoming this problem with the microencapsulation technique, ideal for masking the flavour of raw materials.

But how does microencapsulation mask unpleasant flavours?

This technique consists in coating the raw material with a polymeric membrane, through a three-stage coacervation process. This coating perfectly isolates raw materials in a liquid or solid state, minimising their interaction with the taste buds.

The advantage of microencapsulation is to mask the flavour of the raw material without altering the active ingredient. The technique also makes it possible to use a much higher concentration of the substance, while at the same time avoiding the risk of obtaining an excessively pungent or unpleasant taste.

For example, many consumers find nutraceutical supplements made from ginger extremely difficult to take. The taste and smell of ginger are extremely pungent and make for a significant disturbance. However, this raw material actually offers enormous advantages when it comes to fighting fatigue and muscle aches. FlowActives® ginger-based microcapsules have instead received a decidedly positive response from customers, who can finally use them with ease.

Thanks to the use of microencapsulation, IPS is able to provide its customers with raw materials suitable for developing high quality food supplements and nutraceuticals, which can be stomached even by the most sensitive consumers. Raw materials such as Tea Tree Oil, Omega 3, Ginger and Caraway-Cumin are now accessible to everyone, despite the effect its bad taste has on consumers.