The Manufacture of a New Alimentary Extract.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1897-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
The Manufacture of a New Alimentary Extract.
I, THOMAS HILL-JONES, of 31, Eagle Wharf Road, London, N., Manufacturing
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
Bame is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to the manufacture of a new alimentary vegetable extract,
very rich in soluble albumen or peptone and phosphates and therefore of great value
as an article of food. It has reference to the process described in the Specification of
Letters Patent No. 15885 of the year 1895.
In manufacturing the extract according to this my invention, I take any ordinary
yeast such as brewer's yeast (but any sort of yeast will do) and wash the same so as
to remove the bitter taste therefrom; that is to say I wash the yeast in water without
the addition of any chemicals. I then remove the water by straining, add about two
and a half per cent. of salt (Na CI) and subject the yeast which now contains about
75 per cent. of water and 25 per cent. of pure yeast to a température not exceeding
60° Centigrade for a space of time not less than 3 hours. I have found in practice
that this temperature is sufficient to kill the yeast cells but is not high enough to
coagulate all the proteids which comprise together with other constituents the real
flesh formers of my extract and without which it would hardly be of any value at all.
Should the temperature to which the yeast is subjected, materially exceed 60 degrees
Centigrade, most of the proteid matter would be coagulated and be afterwards
filtered off with the cellulose matter. I find it advantageous therefore in practice to
conduct this heating operation in vacuo so that the temperature can be accurately
regulated.
The objects sought to be attained by my process hereunder described are to effect
the entire or complete extraction of the protoplasın or contents of the yeast cell and
to render soluble all proteid matter and so to very materially enhance the richness
and value of the resultant extract as a flesh forming diet. For as the result of most
careful and prolonged investigations and experiments I find that although when the
process is conducted at a temperature not exceeding 60 degrees Centigrade the
coagulation of some of the soluble proteids is avoided, still a thorough extraction of all
the proteid matter or entire protoplasm is never obtained (about half the contents of
the yeast cell remaining unutilised) since the various proteids contained in the
protoplasm or so very complex contents of the yeast cells differ so materially amongst
themselves in their physical properties in regard to their varying solubilities some
(the albumens) remaining soluble up to about 65 or 70 degrees Centigrade in water
and in a saline solution some (the globulins) being insoluble in hot or cold solutions
altogether and some (albumens) having been already coagulated at various degrees
below a temperature of 60 degrees Centigrade.
Now, in order to obtain a thorough extraction of the protoplasm or contents of the
yeast cells and render soluble all proteid matter, which condition makes my extract
80 very rich in flesh formers and valuable, I either use à proper digestive principle or
agent and salt; or, formic aldehyde and salt, at a temperature of about 40 to 45
degrees Centigrade. The addition of salt (introduced at the commencement of
process) gives me the required saline solution. The digestive principle or agent

page_text: described below or the formic aldehyde, I add in order to render soluble all remaining
constituents which are neither soluble in a saline solution, hot or cold solution or
which have been coagulated below 60 degrees Centigrade. For instance I have found
in practice using salt alone without the digestive principle or agent, or the formic
aldehyde, I am already able to obtain from two and a half to three per cent. more
extract and this on account of-for instance the Hetero-albumoses being soluble in a
saline solution below a temperature of 65 degrees Centigrade.
The addition of the proper digestive principle or agent is an artificial digestion or
peptonisation of the contents of the yeast cells: proteids are soluble in gastric and
pancreatic juices, here undergoing a change, being converted into a variety of
proteids called peptones.
The action of formic aldehyde which I would use instead of the digestive principle
or agent (although in both cases peptones are formed, is a synthetic process only,
which renders insoluble proteids, soluble, and may be considered generally as that
whereby two H-atoms of one or two amido groups are replaced or substituted by the
radicle methylen CH.. This reaction may be represented by the following
equation:-
Sugar or milk, 20 ozs.
Pepsin, 4 ozs.
Pancreatin, 3 ozs.
Ptyalin or diastase, 2 drachms.
Lactic acid, and hydrochloric acids, two and a half fluid drachms each.
These added ingredients making up or representing artificially the chemical
components of the gastric or pancreatic juices of the digestive organs.
Great care must be taken in conducting the processes above described, inasmuch
as, if the hydration goes too far, the peptones formed may be split into simpler
substances.
Complete peptonisation or hydration having taken place, I strain the liquor or pass
it through a filter press so as to remove all solid matter or deposit which will consist
only of cellulose matter or the shells of the yeast cells. The resulting clear liquor is
then condensed in vacuo until it attains the consistency of a paste when it is ready
to be potted or put up for use.
Otherwise, instead of following the above described processes, I may effect complete
hydration of the proteid matter contained in the protoplasm of the yeast cells by the
employment of superheated steam with or without pressure; when, after a short time
(experience will indicate when the end of the process has been reached) complete
hydration of the proteids will have taken place and peptones are formed.
In order to emphasize the statement herein before made that it is impossible to
obtain anything at all approaching towards a complete extraction of the contents of
the yeast cells and to render soluble all proteid matter unless by the adoption of one

page_text: or other of the alternative processes herein before described in accordance with the
present invention, I append the result of a careful analysis made by the eminent
analytical chemist Dr. A. Norman Tate of Liverpool―
Ash
Albumenoids
Fat
22:71
7.42
38:80
0.42
39.32
0.80.
Fibre
-
7.38.
(Containing nitrogen per cent. on sample)
Potash per cent. in ash
6.12
6.21
-
27-25
14.15
33.74
45.15
31.02
-
-
Phosphorus anhydride per cent. on ash
Chloride of sodium per cent. on ash
The "extract" and "filter cake" referred to in the above analysis and upon which
the latter is based, were obtained without the employment of salt, the digestive
principle or agent, the formic aldehyde, or superheated steam in accordance with the
present invention. That is to say the extract and cake were obtained by simply
subjecting the yeast to a temperature of 58 degrees Centigrade with the result, as
will be seen from the table above, that little more than half of the protoplasm or
valuable proteid matter is retained in the comparatively worthless filter cake, and
even if the temperature be raised to the boiling point, only a very small proportion
of the protoplasm or contents of the yeast cell and hardly any proteid matter will be
extracted; and, that in such case a comparatively worthless extract could only be
obtained, whereas by means of this present invention I am enabled as herein before
stated to effect the entire extraction of the protoplasm or contents of the yeast cell
and to render soluble all proteid matter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that - what
I claim is :-
First, In the production of an alimentary extract the processes and means--or their
equivalents herein before described-by the adoption of which, I am enabled to ensure
the complete extraction of the protoplasm or contents of the yeast cells and to render
soluble all proteid matter substantially as herein described and for the purposes Bet
forth.
Second, As an article of manufacture the new alimentary extract possessing the
distinctive features herein before described.
.