Determination of Mechanical Properties of Microcapsules

Mechanical characterization methods can be important tools in optimizing the design of an encapsulation system. Food microcapsules can be subjected to considerable shear and extensional forces during their life cycle, and the shell of the capsules needs to be designed with sufficient mechanical strength to avoid premature rupture and release of the capsules’ content. In this chapter we review a number of (fluid) mechanical techniques which can be used to determine the mechanical properties of capsule shells