NEW peer-reviewed research in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Sustainable Food Technology, shows Xampla’s novel plant protein microcapsules retain oil-based activities through simulated digestion, all the way to the intestinal phase.
The paper, titled "Digestibility and enteric release achieved with microencapsulates made from emulsion-templated plant proteins” gives further backing to Xampla’s world first, multi-patented technology.
Leading scientists deployed Vitamin D2 as a test cargo in spray-dried plant protein encapsulates to demonstrate how fat-soluble ingredients in microscopically sized particles can be added to ‘convenience’ foods and liquids.
Researchers, including the company’s founding scientist Professor Tuomas Knowles, showed that added ingredients contained within Xampla microcapsules maintain their stability in transit, storage and through gastric digestion, significantly releasing once they reach the small intestine.
The plant protein capsules even remain physically robust after contact with boiling water, which emulates pasteurisation conditions. Tests showed that the Vitamin D cargo remained intact without degradation, despite high temperatures and vigorous mixing.
Testing was undertaken using industrial spray-drying equipment, proving the technology is directly scalable to a full-size commercial dryer.
Traditional nutrient delivery systems have long struggled to maintain the viability of sensitive ingredients such as vitamins, which are prone to degradation from light, pH stresses, and pasteurisation before they reach the consumer.
This limitation has led manufacturers to rely on costly overage practices in order to meet nutrition claims on the pack.
Dr. Marc Rodriguez, Chief Technical Officer at Xampla, said:
“This paper provides the clearest evidence yet that our plant protein microcapsules solve a major challenge in the functional food and supplement industry.
“We can take oil-based additional ingredients and ensure they remain stable through processing, transit and storage, all the way to digestion.
“The additional nutrients are substantially released where they can be most effectively absorbed, in the small intestine.”
Professor Pete Wilde, Emeritus Fellow in food structure, colloids and digestion at the Quadram Institute Bioscience, added:
“Our collaboration with Xampla represents a significant development of what is possible in nutrient and probiotic delivery. This study shows how a scalable approach with natural polymers can overcome traditional formulation challenges and help bring more effective functional products to market.”
This research has led on to another collaborative project with the Quadram Institute Bioscience, also supported by Innovate UK funding, working with Professor Arjan Narbad to further develop the technology for probiotic applications.
Xampla’s innovation has the potential to unlock a new generation of functional products—such as vitamin-enriched drinks, plant-based supplements, and shelf-stable probiotic foods—without compromising taste, texture or ingredient stability.
To read the full, open-access paper, visit the Royal Society of Chemistry at: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/FB/D4FB00375F