Improved Means or Process for Treating Yeast.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1899-Accepted 6th Jan 1900
Improved Means or Process for Treating Yeast.
I, DR. HENRI VAan Laer, of 83, Rue Berckmans, Brussels, Belgium, Professor
of Chemistry, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a process of decomposing yeast and conversion of
the components obtained, characterized by the determination of a physiological
effect or action in the cells by the aid of a body or agent the influence of which
on the yeast is independent of the chemical function of this body and of its greater
or less affinity for water for the purpose of promoting the hypersecretion of
protoplasmic matters without affecting the vitality of the cells, with the object
of recovering, by the appropriate operations:
1. Alcohol, by autofermentation.
2. Yeast which has retained its fermentative power, capable of preservation
and transportation.
3. An agent for the inversion of sugar solutions, producing bright and pure
invert solutions.
4. Rich food extracts.
5. Bye products from these extractions, such as dry albumen; or converted
into soluble proteine matters, a cattle food which is free from excess of nitro-
geneous matters, or glucosed solutions or oxalates.
1
The invention consists in subjecting yeasts to a treatment for promoting a
physiological effect or action in its cell tissues, having for result an abundant
hypersecretion of protoplasmic matters which do not affect the vitality or the
fermentative power of the cells or residues separated from the liquid by filtration
or pressure, and in afterwards subjecting the components obtained to treatments
in accordance with the various special industrial uses they may be adapted for.
The physiological process of liquifaction, without injurious action on the cells
tissues may be effected specially by bringing powdered bodies into the presence
of the yeast, the influence of which bodies on pressed yeast or barm is
independent of their chemical function and of their greater or less affinity for
water; therefore the body which determines the most abundant hypersecretion
of protoplasmic substances is the most advantageous to employ for industrial work.
These bodies are met with in fairly large number, and amongst them are
found particularly basic compounds, urea for example, acids such as citric and
oxalic acids, aldehyds, dextrose and even ordinary commercial glucoses which
as is well known, often contains as much as 20% of water; sugars, salts, such as
the alkaline chlorides, the alkaline phosphates, the ammoniacal and ferrous
sulphates, alum, and specially chloride of sodium.
Other acids, for instance tartaric acid and certain salts, such as borax, acetate
of lead, sublimate, bisulphite of calcium and the compounds which act as a
poison on the cells tissues, or do not promote the hypersecretion of protoplasmic
substances, or only do so in a very imperfect manner, or they destroy the vitality
of the cells.
The active bodies or compounds do not all act with the same intensity, each

page_text: having a specific action which result in a more or less rapid, or more or les
radical hypersecretion of the protoplasmic substances, but always in the doses
employed without any venemous effect as regards the cells and without causing
paralysis of the invertase, in such manner that the residue of cells afte
separation of the protoplasmic liquid retains its fermentative action and, in a
word, that there is only simple physiological decomposition by a powdered non
fermentable substance without killing the cells or losing their vital action.
The physiological phenomenon which induce the hypersecretion in yeast by
the means indicated, is characterized in a general way by the production in its
operation of a considerable quantity of alcohol by auto-fermentation, and the
components may be obtained, that is the protoplasmic matters secreted and the
cells under conditions particularly favourable for their industrial utiliza-
tion either with or without any preparation.
Thus on the one hand, the cell residue separated from the cellular liquid
secreted, constitutes a yeast of great fermentative power, which may be pre-
served and transported according to the treatment it undergoes, and is a powerful
agent for the inversion of saccharose, valuable bye products being obtained
whilst on the other hand the cellular liquid after being deprived of alcohol with
a bye product of albumen, may be employed in the preparation of food extracts.
These various operations may be carried out industrially by the process set
forth for example in the following general description, but any variation of the
operations which may be found useful or convenient is within the scope of the
invention.
The yeast mixed with one of the agents above mentioned, chloride of sodium
for instance, in the proportion of 2% at least is allowed to decompose physio-
logically in a pugmill or the like. When liquifaction is complete, autofermenta-
tion is set up which may be noticed by the mass bubbling and becoming nearly
double the volume but which will return to its original volume towards the end
of the operation, that is, after 10 to 15 hours..
This autofermentation is due to the fermentative power of the cells, in conse-
quence of the physiological isolation of their liquid, is exerted on the carbo-
hydrated matter of the latter so as to transform them into alcohol.
After the auto-fermentation the cells or residues are collected in a pasty mass,
and a yeast of active properties remains which contrary to ordinary yeast may
be preserved without any difficulty.
For this purpose it is only necessary to press out all liquid from the pasty
residue and completely dry the resultant mass which constitutes a preserved
and exportable yeast having all its vitality.
If the above mentioned pasty residue is to be used as agent for saccharose in-
version I add to the liquified mass containing the alcohol of the autofermenta-
tion, a certain quantity of water and after mixing it is treated in a centrifugal
machine.
A solid mass S (the cells) is then found likewise a liquid part E (the pro-
toplasmic matters the alcohol and water).
The part S forms the invert agent of the sugar, its qualities being much superior
to natural yeast. It has thus a considerable hydrolysing effect on the sugar
solutions and invert solutions are absolutely bright a result which is impossible
to obtain by natural yeast because the latter in the presence of sugar at the
temperature of inversion promotes precisely the exudation of nitrogenous matters
which makes the clarification of invert sugar very difficult whereas the new agent
for effecting inversion has been previously deprived of these matters.
For the employment of the new agent the ordinary process is followed.
When the polarimetric deviation to the left is become perceptibly constant, a
filtration is effected or the mixture is passed through a centrifugal machine
or hydro-extractor in order to obtain a solution of invert sugar absolutely bright
also a residue R which has scarcely lost any part of their nutritive principles during
the inversion process.

page_text: The liquid part E is subjected to distillation by which the alcohol is recovered
whilst the albumin is coagulated by the heat.
When the alcoholometer indicates that there is no more alcohol in the dis-
tilled solution the still retort is emptied for the purpose of filtering the remaining
liquid and free it from coagulated albumen A and obtain a new liquid rich in
albumose and peptones and which if concentrated either in free air or in vacuum
leaves as final product an excellent food extract. The bye product A of the dis-
tillation (coagulated albumin) may be dried or be converted into soluble proteine
matters by any of the standard methods.
The bye product R derived from the inversion of the sugar
at 50° C. to digest, then filtered once more to recover on the one hand a third
liquid part without bitterness and not coagulating by heat, which is utilized
placed in water
by adding to the liquid part before its concentration to form food extract.
On the other hand the residue R¹ of the filtration above referred to, very rich
in carbon hydrates, may be dried in the same way as brewery grains and used
as cattle food, as it does not contain the excess of nitrogenous substances found
in ordinary yeast.
Instead of serving this purpose it may also be converted into glucosed liquids
by heating under pressure in the presence of an acid (HCL, H2, SO*, C²O*H²),
or again it can be converted into oxalates by the known processes of heating
with HNO3, or with concentrated alkaline solutions.
Dated 21 L….
reating Yeast.
I, DR. HENRI VAN LAER, of 83, Rue Berckmans, Brussels, Belgium, Professor
of Chemistry, 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 relates to a process of decomposing yeast and conversion of
the components obtained, characterised by the production of a physiological
effect or action in the cells by the aid of a body, the influence of which on the
yeast is independent of the chemical function of this body and of its greater
or less affinity for water for the purpose of promoting the hypersecretion of
protoplasmic matters without affecting the vitality of the cells, with the object
of recovering, by the appropriate operations:-
1. Alcohol, by autofermentation.
2. Yeast which has retained its fermentative power, capable of preservation
and transportation.
.
3. An agent for the inversion of sugar solutions, producing bright and pure
invert solutions.
4. Rich food extracts.
5. Bye products from these extractions, such as dry albumen, or converted_
into soluble proteine matters, a cattle food which is free from excess of nitro-
geneous matters, or oxalates.
The invention consists in subjecting yeasts in a pressed state to a treatment
or promoting a physiological effect or action in its cell tissues, having for result

page_text: an abundant hypersecretion of protoplasmic matters which do not affect the
vitality, or the fermentative power. of the cells or residues separated from the
liquid by filtration or pressure, and in afterwards subjecting the components
obtained to treatments in accordance with the various special industrial uses
they may be adapted for. By this hypersecretion, the pressed yeast becomes
reduced almost instantaneously to a fluid state, and it reassumes perceptibly the
the aspect which it had before being pressed.
1.:
The physiological process of liquefaction, without injurious action on the cells
tissues may be effected specially by bringing powdered bodies into the presence
of the pressed yeast, the influence of which bodies on pressed yeast. or barm is
independent of their chemical function and of their greater or less affinity for
water; therefore the body which determines the most abundant hypersecretion
of protoplasmic substances is the most advantageous to employ for industrial work.
These bodies are met with in fairly large number, and amongst them are
found, particularly basic compounds, urea for example, acids such as citric and
oxalic acids, aldehyds, dextrose, and even ordinary commercial glucoses which,
as is well known, often contain as much as 20% of water; sugars, salts, such as
the alkaline chlorides, the alkaline phosphates, the ammoniacal and ferrous
sulphates, alum, and specially chloride of sodium.
Other acids, may also be mentioned for instance, tartaric acid, and certain
salts, such as borax, acetate of lead, chloride of mercury (sublimate), bisulphite
of calcium and in general, the compounds which act as a poison on the cells
tissues, or do not produce the hypersecretion of protoplasmic substances, or only
do so in a very imperfect manner, or they destroy the vitality of the cells; and I
point out these substances simply to show that the physiological action of lique-
faction of the pressed yeast under the influence of ordinary salt, is common to
a large number of bodies, but none of these latter, excepting common salt is
employed in practice.
The active bodies or compounds do not all act with the same intensity, each
having a specific action which result in a more or less rapid, or more or less
complete hypersecretion of the protoplasmic substances, but always in the doses
employed without any venemous effect as regards the cells, and without causing
destruction of the invertase, in such manner that the residue of cells after
separation of the protoplasmic liquid retains its fermentative action and, in a
word, that there is only simple physiological effect or action by a powdered non-
fermentable substance without killing the cells or losing their vital action.
The physiological phenomenon which induces the hypersecretion, in yeast by
the means indicated, is characterised in a general way by the production in its
operation of a considerable quantity of alcohol by auto-fermentation, and the
cells remain under particularly favourable conditions for their industrial utilisa-
tion, either with or without any preparation.
Thus on the one hand, the cell residue separated from the cellular. liquid
produced, constitutes a yeast of great fermentative power, which may be pre-
served and transported according to the treatment it undergoes and is a powerful
agent for the inversion of saccharose, valuable bye products being obtained,
whilst on the other hand the cellular liquid after being deprived of alcohol, with
a bye product of albumen, may be employed in the preparation of food extracts.
These various operations may be carried out industrially by the process set
forth, for example in the following general description, but any variation of the
operations which may be found useful or convenient is within the scope of the
invention.
The pressed yeast mixed at the ordinary temperature with one of the agents
above mentioned, chloride of sodium for instance, in the proportion of 2% at
least is allowed to liquify in a pugmill or the like. When liquefaction is com-
plete, autofermentation is set up which may be noticed by the mass bubbling and
becoming nearly double the volume but which will return to its original volume
towards the end of the operation that is, after 10 to 15 hours.

page_text: This autofermentation is due to the fermentative power of the cells, in con-
sequence of the separation of their protoplasmic liquid, is exerted on the carbo-
hydrated matters of the latter so as to transform them into alcohol.
After the autofermentation the cells or residues are collected in a pasty mass,
and a yeast of active properties remains, which contrary to ordinary yeast may
be preserved without any difficulty.
For this purpose, it is only necessary to press out all liquid from the pasty
residue and completely dry the resultant mass which constitutes a preserved
and exportable yeast having all its vitality.
If the above mentioned pasty residue is to be used as agent for saccharose in-
version I add to the liquefied mass containing the alcohol of the autofermenta-
tion, a certain quantity of water and after mixing, it is treated in a centrifugal
machine.
A solid mass $ (the cells) is then found likewise a liquid part E (the pro-
toplasmic matters the alcohol and water). The part S forms the invert agent of
the sugar, its qualities being much superior to natural yeast. It has thus a
considerable hydrolysing effect on the sugar solutions, and invert solutions are
absolutely bright, a result which is impossible to obtain. by natural yeast because
the latter in the presence of sugar at the temperature of inversion promotes
precisely the production of nitrogenous bodies which makes the clarification of
invert sugar very difficult whereas the new agent for effecting inversion has been
previously deprived of these matters.
For the employment of the new agent, the ordinary process is followed.
When the polarimetric deviation to the left is become perceptibly constant, a
filtration is effected, or the mixture is passed through a centrifugal machine
or hydro-extractor in order to obtain a solution of invert sugar absolutely bright
also a residue R which has scarcely lost any part of its nutritive principles during
the inversion process.
The liquid part E is subjected to distillation by which the alcohol is recovered
whilst the albumen is coagulated by the heat.
When the alcoholometer indicates that there is no more alcohol in the dis-
tilled solution the still retort is emptied for the purpose of filtering the remaining
liquid and free it from coagulated albumen A and obtain a new liquid
albumose and peptones and which if concentrated either in free air or in vacuum
leaves as final product an excellent food extract.
rich in
The bye product A of the distillation (coagulated albumen) may be dried or
be converted into soluble proteine matters by any of the standard methods.
The bye product R derived from the inversion of the sugar is placed in water
at 50° C. to digest, then filtered once more to recover on the one hand a third
liquid part without bitterness and not coagulating by heat, which is utilized
by adding to the liquid part before its concentration to form food extract.
On the other hand, the residue R' of the filtration above referred to, very rich
in carbo-hydrates, may be dried in the same way as brewery grains and used
as cattle food, as it does not contain the excess of nitrogenous substances found
in ordinary yeast.
Instead of serving this purpose, it may also be converted into glucosed liquids
by heating under pressure in the presence of an acid (HCL, H, SO, C2OH²),
or again it can be converted into oxalates by the known processes of heating
with HNO3, or with concentrated alkaline solutions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A process of physiological decomposition of yeast, consisting of acting on
yeast in a pressed state by a solid chemical non-fermentable agent which promotes
immediate liquefaction without destroying the vitality of the cells and permitting
the production of alcohol by autofermentation in the liquefied mass.

page_text: 2. The industrial process, such as above described, or any variation of this
process based on the same principle, permitting the production from the yeast
of all the following; of alcohol by autofermentation, of yeast capable of preserva-
tion and transport of an agent or the inversion of sugar solutions, of food extracts,
and of bye products.