The aim of this study was to encapsulate lipid nanoparticle dispersions into calcium alginate microbeads and to investigate the feasibility of this incorporation as well as the stability of the enclosed nanoparticles. Two methods were used to prepare the lipid-containing microbeads by external gelation, i.e. an electrostatic droplet generation technique and a spraying method using the two-fluid spray nozzle of a spray dryer. The particle sizes of the hydrogel beads were determined with laser diffraction. The first method produced particles with median sizes between 330 and 1350 μm, depending on the needle applied. Using the second method smaller particles (∼45 μm) could be prepared. Small tyloxapol-stabilized trimyristin nanoparticles (