The present invention relates to compositions containing (fat-soluble) active ingredients and/or colorants in a matrix based on modified plant gums, i.e. plant gums that have been submitted to hydrolysis to degrade either the protein portion and/or where appropriate, the polysaccharide, and to a process for preparing these compositions as well as to modified plant gums, whose protein part is hydrolysed up to a degree of about 30%, preferably to a degree of from about 0.05 to about 30%, and/or whose polysaccharide part is hydrolysed up to a degree of about 50%, a process for the manufacture thereof and such modified plant gums themselves. The present invention further relates to the use of the compositions of this invention for the enrichment, fortification and/or for the coloration of food, beverages, animal feed, cosmetics and pharmaceutical compositions and to such food, beverages, animal feed, cosmetics and pharmaceutical compositions themselves.