Comparative technoeconomic process analysis of industrial-scale microencapsulation of bioactives in cross-linked alginate

Calcium alginate microencapsulation is a popular laboratory technique, but implementing the traditional external gelation process in the food industry requires a series of costly unit operations. Alternatively, a consolidated process accomplishes alginate cross-linking in situ during spray-drying to form cross-linked alginate microcapsules (‘the CLAMs process’). This work conducted technoeconomic analysis in SuperPro Designer to compare the process economics of both microencapsulation systems, initially for encapsulating emulsified fish oil. At all production scales examined, the capital investment and annual operating cost were lower for the CLAMs process. The CLAMs process' economic advantage stemmed from reducing the number of unit procedures. Upon modifying the models for microencapsulating hydrophilic cargo (e.g. enzymes, vitamins, microbial concentrates), the CLAMs process remained favorable at all cargo material costs and cargo loadings examined. This work demonstrates the utility of technoeconomic analysis for evaluating microencapsulation processes and may justify applying the CLAMs process at the industrial scale. •SuperPro Designer was used to simulate batch microencapsulation processes.•External gelation process was less economically favorable at all production scales examined.•In situ internal gelation process had lower annual operating costs and capital investment.•Economic advantage of in situ internal gelation process was due to fewer number of unit procedures.