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# c19) United States c12) Patent Application Publication 

# McClements et al. 

# (54) HYDROGEL BEADS WITH SELF-REGULATING MICROCLIMATE PH PROPERTIES 

(71) Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, BOSTON, MA (US) 

(72) Inventors: David Julian McClements, Northampton, MA (US); Zipei Zhang, Amherst, MA (US); Ruojie Zhang, Amherst, MA (US) 

(21) Appl. No.: 15/690,748 

(22) Filed: Aug. 30, 2017 

(60) Provisional application No. 62/381, 7 48, filed on Aug. 31, 2016, provisional application No. 62/402,017, filed on Sep. 30, 2016. 

(51) Int. Cl. 

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## Related U.S. Application Data 

## Publication Classification 

<img src='content_image/931688.jpg'>

(52) U.S. Cl. CPC ............ A61K 9/485 (2013.01); A61K 9/0053 (2013.01); A61K 9/5089 (2013.01); A61K 38/465 (2013.01); A61K 38147 (2013.01); A23V 2002/00 (2013.01); B0JJ 13/14 (2013.01); B0JJ 13/0065 (2013.01); A23L 33/10 (2016.08); A23L 33/30 (2016.08); A61K 9/5036 (2013.01) 

## (57) ABSTRACT 

A composition includes a hydrogel bead in an external matrix, the hydrogel bead having an at least partially cross› linked gelling polymer, the hydrogel bead having encapsu› lated therein a functional agent, and a buffering agent having low water solubility, wherein at least a portion of the buffering agent is in solid form in the hydrogel bead. 

US 20180055777Al 

# c10) Pub. No.: US 2018/0055777 Al 

# (43) Pub. Date: Mar. 1, 2018 

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