The invention provides a process for preparing a core-shell capsule comprising the steps of (i) mixing a solid active ingredient and/or an oily liquid active ingredient with a polymeric material capable of forming a hydrogel shell around the active ingredient(s), (ii) forming a shell comprising a hydrogel scaffold formed of a polymeric lattice around the core, (iii) optionally cross-linking the polymeric lattice； and (iv) contacting the optionally cross-linked core-shell hydrogel shell with a liquid silica precursor so as to cause precipitation of silica within the scaffold structure thereby forming a composite shell of silica interspersed between the polymeric lattice.
