Improvements in the Manufacture of Lactose or Milk Sugar.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1891.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Lactose or Milk Sugar.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON, of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Agnes Louisa Lesslie Peck, of Burlington, in
the State of Vermont, United States of America,) to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to make pure, white, merchantable milk sugar
direct from whey without intermediate or successive crystallizations, and in
sufficiently large quantity or percentage to render its manufacture profitable.
In all processes of manufacture of this article hitherto employed whether it be
what is known as the Swiss process or other processes more recently proposed such
as those described in the Specifications annexed to A. H. Sabin's United States
Patents Nos. 329,858, dated Novr. 3rd 1885 and 307,594 dated Novr. 4th 1884
which consist essentially in purifying the whey by heating and filtering, evaporating
nearly to dryness and cooling and washing the crystallised product there is obtained
but a very small percentage of milk sugar say from one and one fourth per cent.
There is really much more sugar present in the whey and the loss arises from
various causes as for example the long exposure of the sugar in solution in the
whey to the action of the natural acid developed in the process of cheese making
whereby the sugar is converted directly into acid or becomes inverted or reduced
to a non-crystallizable molasses sometimes known as "mother liquor."
Further loss is also produced by the operation of recrystallizing and the large
amount of washing necessary to free the sugar from deleterious substances
developed in the course of the sugar making process.
One essential to the object in view is that all of the nitrogenous matter shall be
completely and perfectly removed from the whey before it is evaporated to the
crystallizing point; and it is also desirable that all colouring matter should be
removed before it reaches this point-the result being a syrup clear and white like
water which only needs to be evaporated to the crystallizing point like any other
sugar solution.
of
To effect this complete and perfect removal of nitrogenous matter, the whey
(after subjecting it to preliminary filtration) is first evaporated to the consistency
f syrup, and is then treated in this condition with a strong solution of any of the
reagents used in organic chemistry as tests for albumen-the object and effect of
this treatment being to throw down all of the nitrogenous matter in the whey in
the form of a thick precipitate from which the syrupy whey can readily be drawn
off and separated.
To prevent the loss of sugar due to the hereinbefore mentioned action of the
natural acid developed in the whey by and during the cheese making process, the
said acid is neutralized by the use of hydrate or carbonate of lime or any other
suitable neutralizer.
In detail the process may be conducted as follows:-
On receiving the whey from the cheese factories, the acid already developed in
the whey by and during the process of cheese making is carefully and exactly
neutralized by the use of either hydrate or carbonate of lime. The quantity of
neutralizer will vary according to the percentage of such acid present in the whey,
and can be determined by testing the whey with neutral litmus paper. This
preliminary step is important in securing a larger yield of sugar from the. whey,
for the reason that, although the lactic fermentation, is immediately arrested by
heating the whey as hereinafter provided, still the acid already produced and

page_text: existing in the whey seems to have the power, unless it be neutralized, of con-
verting quite a considerable percentage of the sugar into a molasses which will
not crystallize.
Having neutralized the whey, it should be immediately heated to the boiling
point, which has the effect of precipitating to a considerable extent nitrogeneous
and other impurities.. The liquid when separated from these matters is a greenish
coloured liquid of somewhat turbid appearance.
This liquid is then evaporated either by open or by vacuum evaporation to the
consistency of a somewhat thick syrup the evaporation being carried to limits
varying between, say from one fourth of the original volume of whey to near the
crystallizing point. When the liquid is evaporated to one-half of its original
volume it will begin to show slight flocculent masses through it, and as it becomes
more condensed it will contain quite a mass of nitrogenous matter in suspension.
At this point the hot syrup should be treated with a saturated solution of alum
and washing soda taken in equal proportions. The proportion of this solution
to the syrup must depend upon the skill, experience and judgment of the operator.
Different samples of whey require different quantities of the solution, depending
upon the percentage of nitrogenous matters remaining in the whey after the first
filtration sufficient of the solution should be used to precipitate all of the nitro-
genous matter.
For the successful attainment of this result the preliminary filtration or separa-
tion of the whey from the nitrogenous and other impurities first above referred to,
is a pre-requisite, as is also the reduction in volume of this partially purified whey
to a syrupy state, because the nitrogenous matter which remains after the first
filtration or separation and which it is the object of the next succeeding step to
remove, does not appear until the whey is reduced to this state.
In lieu of the soda and alum, there may be used nearly all vegetable and mineral
acids except nitric, and all reagents that are used in organic chemistry as tests for
albumen together with a solution of rennet.
A. hot solution of the reagents is employed, because it holds more of the reagents
and is therefore stronger.
The result of this treatment is that all of the nitrogenous matter in the syrup is
thrown down in a thick precipitate, from which the syrup can be separated readily
in any of the ways commonly used for such purposes.
This syrup is then again carefully neutralized with hydrate or carbonate of lime
or any other suitable neutralizer. The syrup, which by this time is clear and of a
light brown colour is next passed through bone black filters.
The clear white syrup resulting from this treatment is then evaporated in vacuo
to the crystallizing point, and is subsequently drawn off into tanks where it is
allowed to cool and crystallize. The resulting sugar product which is in the form
of white fine crystals is slightly washed in iced water to remove the mineral salts ;
and is then dried, powdered and put up in suitable shape for the market.
Dated this 26th day of August 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Lactose or Milk Sugar.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of
Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention which
invention has been communicated to me from abroad by Agnes Louisa Lesslie 5
Peck of Burlington, in the State of Vermont United States of America and in
what manner the same to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to make pure, white, merchantable milk sugar

page_text: direct from whey without intermediate or successive crystallizations and in
sufficiently large quantity or percentage to render its manufacture profitable.
In all processes of manufacture of this article hitherto employed (whether it be
what is known as the Swiss process, or other processes more recently proposed,
such as those described in the Specifications annexed to Alvah Horton Sabin's
United States Patents No. 329,858 dated November 3rd 1885 and 307,594 dated
November 4th 1884 which consist essentially in purifying the whey by heating and
filtering, evaporating nearly to dryness and cooling and washing the crystallised
product, there is obtained but a very small percentage of milk sugar, say from one
to one and one-fourth per cent. There is really much more sugar present in the
whey, and the loss arises from various causes, for example from the long exposure
of the sugar in solution in the whey to the action of the natural acid developed in
the process of chcese making whereby the sugar is converted directly into acid, or
becomes inverted or reduced to a non-crystallizable molasses sometimes known as
"mother liquor."
Further loss is also produced by the operation of recrystallizing, and the large
amount of washing necessary to free the sugar from deleterious substances
developed in the course of the sugar making process.
One essential to the object in view is that all of the nitrogenous matter shall be
completely and perfectly removed from the whey before it is evaporated to the
crystallizing point; and it is also desirable that all colouring matter should be
removed before it reaches this point-the result being a syrup clear and white like
water which only needs to be evaporated to the crystallising point like any other
sugar solution.
To effect this complete and perfect removal of nitrogenous matter, the whey
(after subjecting it to preliminary filtration) is first evaporated to the consistency
of syrup, and is then treated, in this condition, with a strong solution of any of the
reagents used in organic chemistry as tests for albumen-the object and effect of
this treatment being to throw down all of the nitrogenous matter in the whey in
the form of a thick precipitate from which the syrupy whey can readily be drawn
off and separated.
To prevent the loss of sugar due to the herein before mentioned action of the
natural acid developed in the whey by and during the cheese making process, the
said acid is neutralized by the use of hydrate or carbonate of lime or any other
suitable neutralizer.
In detail the process may be conducted as follows.
On receiving the whey from the cheese factories, the acid already developed in
the whey, by and during the process of cheese making, is carefully and exactly
neutralized by the use of either hydrate or carbonate of lime. The quantity of
neutralizer will vary according to the percentage of such acid present in the whey, and
can be determined by testing the whey with neutral litmus paper. This pre-
liminary step is important in securing a larger yield of sugar from the whey, for
the reason that although the lactic fermentation is immediately arrested by
heating the whey as hereinafter provided, still the acid already produced and
existing in the whey seems to have the power, unless it be neutralized, of
converting quite a considerable percentage of the sugar into a molasses which will
not crystallize.
Having neutralized the whey, it should be immediately heated to the boiling
point, which has the effect of precipitating to a considerable extent nitrogenous
and other impurities. The liquid when separated from these matters is a greenish
coloured liquid of somewhat turbid appearance.
This liquid is then evaporated, either by open or by vacuum evaporation, to the
consistency of a somewhat thick syrup the evaporation being carried to limits
varying between, say from one fourth of the original volume of whey to near the
crystallizing point. When the liquid is evaporated to one half of its original
volume it will begin to show slight flocculent masses through it, and as it becomes

page_text: more condensed it will contain a considérable mass of nitrogenous matter in
suspension.
At this point the hot syrup should be treated with a hot saturated solution con-
sisting of about equal parts by weight of alum and washing soda. This solution
is added to the syrup little at a time until sufficient is added to effect the precipita
tion of the nitrogenous matter. The quantity of the solution to be added is deter
mined by the skill, experience and judgment of the operator. Different samples of
whey require different quantities of the solution, depending upon the percentage
of nitrogenous matters remaining in the whey after the first filtration. Sufficient of
the solution should be used to precipitate all of the nitrogenous matter.
For the successful attainment of this result the preliminary filtration or separa-
tion of the whey from the nitrogenous and other impurities first above referred to
is a pre-requisite, as is also the reduction in volume of this partially purified whey
to a syrupy state, because the nitrogenous matter which remains after the first
filtration or separation, and which it is the object of the next succeeding step to
remove, does not appear until the whey is reduced to this state.
In lieu of the soda and alum, there may be used nearly all vegetable and mineral
acids except nitric, and all reagents that are used in organic chemistry as tests for
albumen together with a solution of rennet.
A hot solution of the reagents is employed, because it holds more of the reagents
and is therefore stronger.
The result of this treatment is that all of the nitrogenous matter in the syrup
is thrown down in a thick precipitate, from which the syrup can be separated
readily in any of the ways commonly used for such purposes.
This syrup is then again carefully neutralized with hydrate or carbonate of lime
or any other suitable neutralizer. The syrup which by this time is clear and of a
light brown colour is next filtered through bone black.
The clear white syrup resulting from this treatment is then evaporated in vacuo
to the crystallizing point, and is subsequently drawn off into tanks where it is
allowed to cool and crystallize. The resulting sugar product which is in the form
of white fine crystals is slightly washed in iced water to remove the mineral salts;
and is then dried, powdered and put up in suitable shape for the market.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
First. The process of making milk sugar from whey consisting in preliminarily
purifying the whey by heating it and separating it from the precipitate formed by,
and during, the heating operation; next evaporating the partly purified liquid to
the consistency of syrup and treating it when in this condition with chemical
reagents, such as those hereinbefore named, in solution, for the complete precipita-
tion of nitrogenous impurities; and finally filtering and evaporating the clear
syrup thus obtained, substantially as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore set
forth.
Second. In the production of milk sugar from whey, the method of effecting the
removal of nitrogenous impurities from the body of the whey under treatment
which method consists in preliminarily purifying the whey by heating it and
separating it from the precipitate formed by, and during, the heating operation,
then evaporating this partly purified liquid to a syrupy consistency, and treating
it, while in this state, with alum and soda (or their chemical equivalents in this
connection) in solution substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set
forth.
Third. In the process of making milk sugar from whey, the method of pre-
venting the formation of mother liquor or noncrystallizable molasses, which
consists in neutralizing the natural acid present in the whey, substantially as and
for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Fourth. The described process of making milk sugar from whey consisting in

page_text: first treating the whey with hydrate or carbonate of lime or equivalent neutralizing
agent, for the purpose of neutralizing the natural acid therein; next preliminarily
purifying the whey by heating it and separating it from the precipitate formed
by, and during, the heating operation; next evaporating the partly purified liquid
to the consistency of syrup and treating it when in this condition with chemical
reagents, such as those hereinbefore named, in solution, for the complete precipita-
tion of nitrogenous impurities; and finally filtering and evaporating the clear
syrup thus obtained, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 29th day of April 1891.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.