MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FOOD PREPA- RATIONS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Campbell Morfit, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the
"IMPROVE-
County of Middlesex, Consulting Chemist, for the Invention of
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FOOD PREPA-
RATIONS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Campbell Morfit at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st November 1877.
<<
CAMPBELL MORFIT, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Chemist. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ANIMAL AND
VEGETABLE FOOD PREPARATIONS."
"
I carry my Invention into effect by first making a protecting stock with Irish
moss alone, or combined with animal gelatine. This is done by boiling the Irish
moss with water, straining off the soluble portion, and adding or not adding gelatine
to the strained liquor, as may be deemed expedient for the food under treatment.
Sugar and flavouring may be added either to the moss liquor, or to the moss and
gelatine liquor, according to the taste and judgment of the operator.
The flavouring may be cocoa, coffee, tea, nutmeg, vanilla, liquorice, the juices and
essences of fruits, orange flower water, or other flavouring. The mixture being well
stirred is then to be poured upon cooling slabs, and allowed to dry as tablets if
intended for jujube. The jelly thus formed, either with or without sweetening or
flavouring, as may be deemed expedient for the special food product in course of
preparation, is the protecting agent, and when triturated while yet fresh and undried
intimately with the food substance, and left to set into a jelly, constitutes the stock
proper. Fruits in their entirety, raw or cooked, whole vegetables, preferably cooked,
animal flesh of allkinds in a cooked pulpy state, fresh curd and cheese,are each and all
equally capable of successful treatment by this Invention, which applies to them
with only degrees of difference as to kind. The jelly diffusing itself through the
mass permeates the particles thereof, covers them, and by this protecting influence
enables the whole to undergo exposure to the air for gradual desiccation without

page_text: other change of its original nature than the loss of constitutional water. As the
water dries off the jelly closes in a hard impervious coating upon its associate
components of the product, and thus not only condenses the volume, but by shutting
out the action of the air changes its previous sensitive character to insensibility to
the injurious tendencies of climatic changes. All heat above the ordinary degree of
air, and every other disturbing condition being carefully guarded against, the dried
product will contain its fruit, vegetable, flesh, curd, or cheese constituent in natural
freshness, and with its dietetic efficiency unimpaired. The stocks thus prepared
may be divided into thin sheets or tablets, and promptly as well as thoroughly dried
in a moderately warm airy room, to form admirable naval and campaign stores in
great variety, and ready at all times for making stews and soups of the most
nourishing quality, and with only a few minutes' preparation; but to give them yet
completer forms as food rations I mix the stock with a due proportion of the meal
of wheat, rye, oats, Indian corn, barley, peas, lentils, or other edible grain, in a raw
or cooked state, according to the use for which the product is intended.
The proportion of stock to meal will depend upon and vary with the nature of
the fruit, vegetable, flesh, or other material under treatment, and the trade form it
is to assume; thus, when it is to be rolled out and dried as thin tablets, lozenges,
or granules, a larger ratio of stock will be advisable than for a biscuit mixture.
In making biscuits I prefer to use powdered navy or captain's biscuit as the
farinaceous meal, and it is to be triturated with only enough of the stock to form a
dampish meal, which will press into a firm cohesion without closeness or hardness
to impair the tenderness and palatability of the biscuit product.
I would here remark that the employment of gelatine for the condensation and
preservation of animal and vegetable foods was described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to me dated January 11, 1877, No. 152, and in a Provisional
Specification filed by me on the 14th August last, No. 3087, but according to my
present Invention I employ Irish moss in lieu thereof or in combination therewith
for the above-mentioned purpose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Campbell Morfit in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st May
1878.
CAMPBELL MORFIT, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ANIMAL AND
VEGETABLE FOOD PREPARATIONS."
I carry my Invention into effect by first making a protecting stock with Irish
moss alone, or combined with animal gelatine. This is done by boiling the Irish
moss with water, straining off the soluble portion, and adding or not adding gelatine
to the strained liquor, as may be deemed expedient for the food under treatment.
Sugar and flavouring may be added either to the moss liquor or to the moss and
gelatine liquor, according to the taste and judgment of the operator.
The flavouring may be cocoa, coffee, tea, nutmeg, vanilla, liquorice, the juices and
essences of fruits, orange flower water, or other flavouring. The mixture being well
stirred is then to be poured upon cooling slabs, and allowed to dry as tablets if
intended for jujube. The jelly thus formed, either with or without sweetening and
flavouring, as may be deemed expedient for the special food product in course of
preparation, is the protecting agent, and when triturated while yet fresh and undried
intimately with the food substance, and left to set into a jelly, constitutes the stock
proper. Fruits in their entirety, raw or cooked, whole vegetables, preferably cooked,
animal flesh of all kinds in a raw or cooked pulpy state, milk curd and cheese, are
each and all equally capable of successful treatment by this Invention, which applies
to them with only degrees of difference as to kind. The jelly diffusing itself through
the mass permeates the particles thereof, covers them.and by this protecting influence
enables the whole to undergo exposure to the air for gradual desiccation without
other change of its original nature than the loss of constitutional water. As the
water dries off the jelly closes in a hard impervious coating upon its associate com-
ponents of the product, and thus not only condenses the volume, but by shutting
out the action of the air changes its previous sensitive character to insensibility to
the injurious tendencies of climatic changes. All heat above the ordinary degree of
the air, and every other disturbing condition being carefully guarded against, the
dried product will contain its fruit, vegetable, flesh, curd, or cheese constituent in
natural freshness, and with its dietetic efficiency unimpaired. The stocks thus
prepared may be divided into thin sheets or tablets, and promptly as well as
thoroughly dried in a moderately warm airy room, to form admirable naval and
campaign stores in great variety, and steady at all times for making stews and soups
of the most nourishing quality, and with only a few minutes preparation; but to
give them yet completer forms as food rations, I mix the stock with a due propor-
tion of the meal of wheat, rye, oats, Indian corn, barley, peas, lentils, or other
edible grain in a raw or cooked state, according to the use for which the product is
intended.
The proportion of stock to meal will depend upon and vary with the nature of
the fruit, vegetable, flesh, or other material under treatment, and the trade form it is
to assume; thus, when it is to be rolled out and dried as thin tablets, lozenges,
or granules, a larger ratio of stock will be advisable than for a biscuit mixture.
In making biscuits I prefer to use powdered navy or captain's biscuit as the
facinaceous meal, and it is to be triturated with only enough of the stock to form a
dampish meal, which will press into a firm cohesion without closeness or hardness
to impair the tenderness and palatability of the biscuit product.
I would here remark that the employment of gelatine for the condensation and
preservation of animal and vegetable foods was described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to me, dated January 11, 1877, No. 152, and in the Specifi-
cation of Letters Patent granted to me dated the 14th August 1877, No. 3087, but
according to my present Invention I employ Irish moss in lieu thereof or in combi-
nation therewith for the above-mentioned purpose.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in which I
carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the use
of Irish moss (carrageen) alone or associated with gelatine, sweetened and flavoured
according to option, for the condensation and preservation of vegetable and animal
foods, after the manner as herein substantially set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Campbell Morfit, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
CAMPBELL MORFIT. (L.S.)