From Copy Paper to MasterChef: Discovering MicroEncapsulation as a Tool For Food Development and Cooking

As intimidating as it sounds, microencapsulation may seem like some crazy aeronautic operation in sci-fi movies, but it is actually an innovative tool used in the food industry. When designing food products for their flavor, nutritional value, and shelf-life, it is important to consider how the chemical composition of a product influences is success in distribution, especially when its ingredients may be susceptible to degradation from the surrounding environment. To prevent reducing the quality of food products, a flavorists and food scientists rely on a technique called microencapsulation that continues to alter the food industry today.

What is Microencapsulation?

Encapsulation is the general mechanism used to protect active compounds such as flavorings, prebiotics, vitamins, pigments, and antimicrobials from environmental factors like heat, light, or moisture that may degrade these compounds (Calderón-Oliver and Ponce-Alquicira, 2022). In the same manner microencapsulation is a type of encapsulation at the microscopic level.

Figure 1. Example of an active ingredient or compound encapsulated in a microcapsule (“Microencapsulation for Food,” n.d.).

History of Microencapsulation

Microencapsulation was first discovered in the late 1930s by American chemist Barry Green who worked for the National Cash Register (NCR). With original intentions completely unrelated to food, he aimed to create a neater alternative to carbon copying paper. He used his knowledge of colloid chemistry and phase coacervation (Watters, 2000) (aka liquid-liquid phase separation of LLPS), which is a process where a homogenous solution separates into two non-mixable liquids (Kim et al., 2025), to create extremely tiny capsules wrapped in gelatin. These capsules, placed on the back of the top document, release dye onto a paper copy after a pen writes on the original document (Lednicer, 2010). Even, after decades, there are many uses for Green's copy paper. For example, many students have used Green's creation of carbonless copy paper when taking exams.

Figure 2. Structure of carbonless copy paper. Note the microcapsulated layer in between the top and middle layers (“Everything,” 2019).

Later it was discovered that Green’s discovery could be applied to the food production. Because these capsules had shown to provide a reliable container to store dye, they were later repurposed to seal and protect active compounds in food products from the surrounding environment. Additionally, microcapsules allowed for flavorists to control the optimized flavor profiles of different foods, making them widely versatile in culinary and processing industries (Calderón-Oliver and Ponce-Alquicira, 2022). It is fascinating how microencapsulation’s application in food science originally had no relation to it!

Application in the Culinary World

Chefs can even use encapsulating techniques in their cooking. A common example is seen in competitive cooking shows such as MasterChef where contestants present appealing dishes to the judges. In a technique called spherification, the contestant drops mixes a liquid with sodium alginate (see Kelp Article) and drops small amounts into a bath of calcium chloride, which forms a thin gel membrane. The membrane formation allows for the contestants to diversify their plating while maintaining the flavor and consistency of the liquid for the judges to taste (Sherri, 2012). 

Figure 3. A MasterChef dish featuring spherification. Watch this video to see the spherification process in action (MasterChef World, 2021).

Recent Advancements

Microencapsulation continues to advance the food industry and public health today. Recent developments in microencapsulation include incorporation of polyphenolic extracts, or secondary metabolites of plants with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties (Brglez Mojzer et al., 2016), bacteriocins, or proteins and peptides that inhibit bacterial growth (“Bacteriocins”, n.d.), and natural antimicrobials. Microencapsulating these compounds have shown to inhibit microbial growth in food, rendering microencapsulating particularly useful for food preservation long-term (Calderón-Oliver and Ponce-Alquicira, 2022).

Key Takeaways

From carbonless copy paper to MasterChef, microcapsules' applications are versatile. For the food industry specifically, ensuring the proper chemical composition of food products optimizes quality, improves public health, and enhances flavor profiles. In the near future, microcapsules provide promising solutions for increasing food preservation and reducing spoilage from microbial growth. Microencapsulation serves as a prime example that food science necessitates multiple disciplines to generate scalable change. Moving forward, it is essential to consider different perspectives and to collaborate consistently to improve emerging issues within food science, processing, and distribution.

References

1. Bacteriocins—An overview. (n.d.). ScienceDirect. Retrieved March 21, 2026, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/bacteriocins

2. Brglez Mojzer, E., Knez Hrnčič, M., Škerget, M., Knez, Ž., & Bren, U. (2016). Polyphenols: Extraction Methods, Antioxidative Action, Bioavailability and Anticarcinogenic Effects. Molecules, 21(7), 901. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21070901

3. Calderón-Oliver, M., & Ponce-Alquicira, E. (2022). The Role of Microencapsulation in Food Application. Molecules, 27(5), 1499. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27051499

4. Everything You Need to Know about Carbonless Copy Paper. (2019, June 20). L.G. Business Systems. https://lgbusinesssystems.com.au/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-carbonless-copy-paper/

5. Kim, D. H., Ki, M.-R., Chung, D. Y., & Pack, S. P. (2025). Biomolecule-Based Coacervation: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Perspectives in Biomedical and Biotechnological Fields. Biomolecules, 15(6), 861. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15060861

6. Lednicer, D. (2010). Microencapsulation. American Heritage’s Invention & Technology, 25(3). https://www.inventionandtech.com/content/microencapsulation

7. MasterChef World. (2021, May 1). Molecular Gastronomy Masterclass! | MasterChef New Zealand | MasterChef World [Video recording]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28_ih0SrVYs

8. Microencapsulation for Food. (n.d.). Balchem. Retrieved March 21, 2026, from https://balchem.com/hnh/science-tech/technologies/microencapsulation/

9. Olufemi, B. (2025, June 11). DIY Molecular Gastronomy: Turning Liquids into Edible Spheres. Quill of Grubs. https://quillofgrubs.com/diy-molecular-gastronomy-turning-liquids-into-edible-spheres/

10. Sherri. (2012, May 9). Molecular Gastronomy—Spherification and Caviar Ingredients and Equipment Online. HubPages. https://discover.hubpages.com/food/Molecular-Gastronomy-Spherification-Ingredients-Equipment-Online

11. Watters, J. L. (2000). Microencapsulation – How it All Began. Gordon College. https://www.cs.gordon.edu/courses/organic/dol/Microencapsulation/

Thumbnail Image: (Olufemi, 2025)