Improvements in the Treatment and Preparation of Butter, Butter Substitutes, Margarine, and Alimentary Fats or Compounds.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 24th July, 1894-Accepted, 25th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment and Preparation of Butter, Butter
Substitutes, Margarine, and Alimentary Fats or Compounds.
A communication by CONSTANT ARTUS, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object certain improvements in the treatment and
preparation of butter, butter substitutes, margarine and alimentary fats or compounds,
whether salted or not, without the use of any chemicals, and with a view of preserving
them for a long period in a fresh condition.
On studying the question of the lengthy preservation of food products, it
appears that, with the exception of antiseptics such as salicylic or boracic acids,
etcetera, etcetera, the use of which should be eschewed by all persons solicitous of
their health, sterilisation (pasteurisation) alone insures the preservation of organic
substances, provided that they are afterwards kept from any fresh contact.
This process, however, can not be employed alone industrially for substances
which are melted by heat, and more particularly for butter, which, under the action
of heat, resolves itself into fatty substances which float and a watery liquid which
is deposited.
This invention consists in the application, to fresh butter or to its substitutes,
with a view to their preservation, of a sterilising process combined with an
ultimate reconstitution of all the elements of the butter or the like, which have
become dissociated, without there being any possibility of re-contamination between
the two operations.
It is well known that it has been previously possible to "pasteurise" or sterilise
butter; melted butter is the type of sterilised butter, with this important difference,
that its aqueous elements and volatile essences, which contribute to its aroma, are
wanting. There is also no comparison possible between melted butter and fresh butter.
Endeavours have already been made to form butter with its essential elements; this
operation is realised in the manufacture of margarine.
Melted butter is very different from fresh butter, whilst the new product obtained
by this improved process contains the very elements of the butter treated, without
exception, and similarly grouped.
The elements of a natural butter previously dissociated by sterilisation (pasteur-
isation) have, however, never been reconstituted especially without contamination
being possible between the two operations, so as thus to preserve butter in a
fresh condition, so to speak, indefinitely, without any addition of chemical
ingredients.
Having clearly defined the principle of this invention, some of the methods
whereby this invention is industrially realised will now be described.
The butter is inserted in suitable vessels, preferably opaque and hermetically
closed, without entirely filling them; it is then placed in an oven or water bath, or
even on an open fire, and brought to a suitable temperature, which may vary
between 60 and 120 degrees centigrade. It is thus "pasteurised or sterilised.
This operation may be repeated several times. The butter is then more or less
quickly cooled to a temperature approaching solidification of the fatty elements
"

page_text: which constitute it, and the vessels containing it are vigorously agitated in such a way.
that the products which have been dissociated are emulsioned together, and the
butter or butter substitute is reconstituted in its primitive state.
When the emulsioning is considered to be completed, the tins or cases are rapidly
cooled, in order that the substance contained may be solidified, and that no fresh
separation of its constituents may take place.
It is evident that, during all these operations, none of the aromatic properties of
the butter can escape, as no outlet allows of this taking place; on the other hand,
no recontamination of the butter can take place because the box or case, the goods
and the air contained have all been equally submitted to sterilisation.
It is of course understood that the time which elapses between the sterilisation
and the reconstitution is independent of the principle of the invention, and, if the
reconstitution of the butter is undertaken at a considerable time after the
sterilisation, the vessel or box must be more or less reheated before being agitated,
in order to melt the fatty elements which have become solidified, and to reduce the
whole to the condition of fluidity suitable for carrying out the re-emulsioning &
the operation is then carried out according to this invention in the manner
herein before described.
Instead of operating on the butter in the actual vessels in which it is packed, the
operation may be performed in large digesters, precisely under the same conditions,
and the butter thus treated may then be inserted in sterilised packing tins or
vessels, any external contamination being prevented by suitable known means.
With this object, cased digesters are employed, in which steam and hot or cold
water are caused to circulate, according as it is desired to heat or cool the apparatus.
This digester has an opening for filling, fitted with a tight fitting plug, and a
discharge pipe and tap; an agitating apparatus, either with wings or in the form
of a perforated or if preferred obstructed piston, further completes the apparatus.
It is evident that, with such an arrangement, it is easy to sterilise any butter
inserted therein, then, after it has first been cooled to the desired point, to emulsion
the whole in order to reconstitute the dissociated elements, and then to cool it more
rapidly when the emulsioning is considered sufficient to prevent any new dissociation,
and finally to force the butter into sterilised receptacles, either by the pressure of
previously sterilised gas, or by means of a piston, or by some other suitable means
without any fresh containination being possible.
. Instead of utilising successively the same apparatus, as steriliser and then as
emulsioning machine, two separate digesters may also be combined, each having
their functions; in the first, the sterilisation is performed and then the substance
may be passed into the second, which has itself already been sterilised, and that
without any contact with the external air, in order to be emulsioned therein, it may
then be refrigerated and finally delivered into sterilised packing vessels, as has been
herein before described.
In these operations on a large scale, as in the first case described, the time which
elapses between the sterilisation and the reconstitution of the elements of the butter
or butter substitute is immaterial as regards the process, provided that, during the
interval, the butter is kept hermetically closed without any contact with the external
air. It is even possible, without going beyond the principle of the invention, to
proceed in two different places with the two operations of sterilising, and reconstituting
the elements dissociated by the sterilisation, and further, if the butter or butter
substitute is to be brought into consumption at a certain known date, it may be
sterilised a long time beforehand, and the date of consumption awaited for pro-
ducing the re-emulsion, which may then, in this special case, be even done in the
open air.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1893.

page_text: Improvements in the Treatment and Preparation of Butter, Butter
Substitutes, Margarine, and Alimentary Fats or Compounds.
A communication by CONSTANT ARTUS, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This invention has for its object certain improvements in the treatment and
preparation of butter, butter substitutes, margarine and alimentary fats or com-
pounds, whether salted or not, without the use of any chemicals, and with a view
of preserving them for a long period in a fresh condition.
On studying the question of the lengthy preservation of food products, it
appears that, with the exception of antiseptics such as salicylic or boracic acids,
etretera, etcetera, the use of which should be eschewed by all persons solicitous of
their health, sterilisation (pasteurisation) alone insures the preservation of
organic substances, provided that they are afterwards kept from any fresh
contamination.
This process, however, can not be employed alone industrially for substances
which are melted by heat, and more particularly for butter, which, under the action
of heat, resolves itself into fatty substances which float and a watery liquid which
is deposited.
This invention consists in the application, to fresh butter or to its substitutes,
with a view to their preservation, of a sterilising process combined with an
ultimate reconstitution of all the elements of the butter or the like, which have
become dissociated, without there being any possibility of re-contamination between
the two operations.
"
or
It is well known that it has been previously possible to "pasteurise'
sterilise butter; melted butter is the type of sterilised butter, with this important
difference, that its aqueous elements and volatile essences, which contribute to its
aroma, are wanting. There is also no comparison possible between melted butter
and fresh butter. Endeavours have already been made to form butter with
its essential elements; this operation is realised in the manufacture of margarine.
Melted butter is very different from fresh butter, whilst the new product
obtained by this improved process contains the very elements of the butter
treated, without exception and similarly grouped.
The elements of a natural butter previously dissociated by sterilisation
(pasteurisation) have, however, never been reconstituted especially without
contamination being possible between the two operations, so as thus to preserve
butter in a fresh condition, so to speak, indefinitely, without any addition of
chemical ingredients.
Having clearly defined the principle of this invention, some of the methods
whereby this invention is industrially realised will now be described.
The butter is inserted in suitable vessels, preferably opaque and hermetically
closed, without entirely filling them; it is then placed in an oven or water bath, or
even on an open fire, and brought to a suitable temperature, which may vary
between 60 and 120 degrees centigrade. It is thus "pasteurised" or sterilised.
This operation may be repeated several times. The butter is then more or less
quickly cooled to a temperature approaching solidification of the fatty elements,
which constitute it, and the vessels containing it are vigorously agitated in such a

page_text: way that the products which have been dissociated are emulsioned together, and
the butter or butter substitute is reconstituted in its primitive state.
When the emulsioning is considered to be completed, the tins or vessels are
rapidly cooled, in order that the substance contained may be solidified, and that no
fresh separation of its constituents may take place.
It is evident that, during all these operations, none of the aromatic properties of
the butter can escape, as no outlet allows of this taking place; on the other hand,
no re-contamination of the butter can take place, because the box or case, the
goods and the air contained have all been equally submitted to sterilisation.
.'J'
It is of course understood that the time which elapses between the sterilisation
and the reconstitution is independent of the principle of the invention, and, if the
reconstitution of the butter is undertaken at a considerable time after the
sterilisation, the vessel or box must be more or less reheated before being agitated,
in order to melt the fatty elements which have become solidified, and to reduce
the whole to the condition of fluidity suitable for carrying out the re-emulsioning ;
the operation is then carried out according to this invention in the manner
hereinbefore described.
Instead of operating on the butter in the actual vessels in which it is packed, the
operation may be performed in large digesters, precisely under the same conditions,
and the butter thus treated may then be inserted in sterilised packing tius or
vessels, any external contamination being prevented by suitable known means.
With this object, cased digesters are employed, in which steam and hot or cold
water are caused to circulate, according as it is desired to heat or cool the
apparatus. This digester has an opening for filling, fitted with a tight fitting plug,
and a discharge pipe and tap; an agitating apparatus, either with wings or in the
form of a perforated or if preferred obstructed piston, further completes the
apparatus.
It is evident that, with such an arrangement, it is easy to sterilise any butter
inserted therein, then, after it has first been cooled to the desired point, to emulsion
the whole in order to reconstitute the dissociated elements, and then to cool it more
rapidly when the emulsioning is considered sufficient to prevent any new
dissociation, and finally to force the butter into sterilised receptacles, either by the
pressure of previously sterilised gas, or by means of a piston, or by some other
suitable means without any fresh contamination being possible.
Instead of utilising successively the same apparatus, as steriliser and then as
emulsioning machine, two separate digesters may also be combined, each having
their functions; in the first, the sterilisation is performed and then the substance
may be passed into the second, which has itself already been sterilised, and that
without any contact with the external air, in order to be emulsioned therein, it may
then be refrigerated and finally delivered into sterilised packing vessels, as has
been hereinbefore described.
In these operations on a large scale, as in the first case described, the time which
elapses between the sterilisation and the reconstitution of the elements of the butter
"Or butter substitutes is immaterial as regards the process, provided that, during the
interval, the butter is kept hermetically closed without any contact with the
external air. It is even possible, without going beyond the principle of the inven-
tion, to proceed in two different places with the two operations of sterilising, and
reconstituting the elements dissociated by the sterilisation, and further, if the
butter or butter substitute is to be brought into consumption at a certain known
date, it may be sterilised a long time beforehand, and the date of consumption
awaited for producing the re-emulsion, which may then, in this special case, be
even done in the open air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An improved process for the treatment and preparation of butter, butter

page_text: substitutes, margarine and alimentary fats or compounds salted or otherwise,
without the use of chemicals, with the object of preserving them a long time in a
fresh condition, consisting in fastening pasteurising or sterilising the butter or other
like product, and vigorously agitating in the same or in separate vessels at a
temperature approaching that of solidification the liquid, fatty volatile and aromatic
principles dissociated during the pasteurisation, the product, thus emulsioned or
reconstituted being solidified or set by a rapid cooling in order that no fresh
separation of its constituents may take place, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. The process for reconstituting sterilised or pasteurised butter or like product
at any time after sterilisation, consisting in vigorously agitating the butter or the
like at a suitable temperature approaching that of solidification whereby the liquid,
fatty volatile and aromatic principles dissociated during the pasteurisation are
emulsioned or reconstituted, and then setting or solidifying the reconstituted
product by means of a rapid cooling, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
"
T
1004
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.