Preparation of starch-based pellets by hot-melt extrusion.

Spherical starch pellets were directly and continuously produced using hot-melt extrusion and die-face pelletisation. In contrast to conventional pelletisation procedures, a discontinuous spheronisation step can be dropped. Pellets were produced based on four different starches (corn starch, pea starch, potato starch and waxy corn starch), four different active ingredients (ibuprofen, paracetamol, phenazon and tramadol-HCl) and various additives.