Microorganism cells such as Saccharomyces or Candida yeast cells are treated with an alkaline aqueous solution with heating and stirring or with a cell wall dissolving enzyme such as glucanase or mannase to obtain cells that function as microcapsules by rapidly taking up a large amount of hydrophobic liquid. Treatment with an alkaline aqueous solution is preferably carried out at a pH of at least 8 for at least 1 hour at a temperature of 20.degree.-100.degree. C. A preferred embodiment of enzyme treatment is with .beta.-1,3-glucanase for about 30 minutes to 5 hours at pH 4-9 at a temperature of 30.degree.-60.degree. C. The treatments dissolve cell walls of the yeast such that the walls still have sufficient strength for enclosing hydrophobic liquids.