Method for making stable detergent compositions

Claim 1

A method for preparing a liquid detergent composition containing a normally incompatible enzyme component, said composition consisting essentially of an effective amount of an enzyme component selected from the group consisting of proteolytic enzymes, amylolytic enzymes and mixtures thereof, from about 0.5% to about 30% by weight of water, up to about 10% by weight of said composition being present as free water, the remainder of the water being present as water of hydration, from about 0.5% to about 30% by weight of a surface active agent selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic ampholytic and zwitterionic surface active agents and mixtures thereof, and from about 40% to about 98% by weight of components selected from the group consisting of organic and inorganic builder materials, alkali materials, sequestering agents, china protecting agents, reducing agents, hydrotropes, corrosion inhibitors, soil suspending ingredients, drainage promoting ingredients, suds regulating agents, tarnish inhibitors, buffering agents, perfumes, dyes, inert carriers, and mixtures thereof, comprising encapsulating said incompatible enzyme component in a material, at least about 30% by weight of which is a watersoluble normally solid alkoxylated nonionic surface active agent selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight from about 3000 to about 40,000, the condensation product of one mole of tallow alcohol with from about 20 to to about 80 moles of ethylene oxide and mixtures thereof, prior to the addtion of said incompatible enzyme component to the detergent composition.

Claim 2

A method for preparing a liquid detergent composition containing a normally incompatible enzyme component, said composition consisting essentially of an effective amount of an enzyme component selected from the group consisting of proteolytic enzymes, amylolytic enzymes and mixtures thereof, from about 0.5% to about 30% by weight of water, up to about 10% by weight of said composition being present as free water, the remainder of the water being present as water of hydration, from about 0.5% to about 30% by weight of a surface active agent selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic ampholytic and zwitterionic surface active agents and mixtures thereof, and from about 40% to about 98% by weight of components selected from the group consisting of organic and inorganic builder materials, alkali materials, sequestering agents, china protecting agents, reducing agents, hydrotropes, corrosion inhibitors, soil suspending ingredients, drainage promoting ingredients, suds regulating agents, tarnish inhibitors, buffering agents, perfumes, dyes, inert carriers, and mixtures thereof, comprising encapsulating said incompatible enzyme component in a material, at least about 30% by weight of which is a watersoluble normally solid alkoxylated nonionic surface active agent selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight from about 3000 to about 40,000, the condensation product of one mole of tallow alcohol with from about 20 to to about 80 moles of ethylene oxide and mixtures thereof, prior to the addtion of said incompatible enzyme component to the detergent composition.