Further Improvements in the Preparation and Combination of Animal Substances for use as Food.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Further Improvements in the Preparation and Combination of
Animal Substances for use as Food.
1 JOHN LAWSON JOHNSTON of 30 Farringdon Street in the City of London Manu-
facturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The production of an improved food of high nutritive power capable of being con-
centrated and compressed into relatively small bulk with a view to render it easily
portable.
In a former Specification for which Letters Patent No. 4782/76 were granted to
William Wallace Auld of 33 Sution Place in the City of Edinburgh as a communica-
tion from me 1 described a method of obtaining a portable food of high nutritive power
by suitably combining meat extracts pulverised meats albumen of meat and gelatine.
have since the grant of the said patent discovered certain improvements in the
aforesaid method thereby patented which improvements 1 now provisionally set forth
and describe.
In the preparation of the pulverized meat it is desirable for the production of a well
flavored compound to avoid any charring of the flesh. To effect this object I
introduce the meat previously chopped or otherwise suitably reduced to a state of
comparatively fine division into a chamber or vessel which is heated by steam from
without or contains a suitably fitted steam coil within. The pressure of the steam
must not be under 20 lbs. or over 60 lbs. to the square inch and, the temperature of the
inner chamber from 240% to 300% thus securing certain antiseptic results which are
specially desirable when the product is desired for combination with dilute meat,
extract and retained in a liquid form.
When the meat has been subjected to this high temperature for a sufficient time to
attain the above results the pressure is reduced and so regulated that it facilitates
further surface evaporation from the meat within the chamber which latter is provided
with suitable arrangements for the escape of moisture and vapour. The chamber or
vessel is also so contrived that the meat contained within it may be roused and turned
over by suitable means and methods as and when required. It is moreover desirable
that the chamber or vessel shall be so fitted that if required it may be filled with an
atmosphere of superheated steam after the removal of the meat so as to ensure purifi-
cation of the apparatus and destruction of possible germs adherent to the walls of the
chamber or vessel which germs might unless removed by this or other suitable and
convenient. means subsequently promote and develope putrefactive decomposition of the
meat. The meat should be kept within the chamber or vessel until two thirds of the
moisture has been expelled. It is then placed in a drying room upon metal tables
which are constructed as flat tubes say 30 x 6 and reaching entirely round the
chamber exhaust steam without pressure is passed throughout this tube and the beat
is kept at a moderate température ranging from 180 down to 100% the meat is
subsequently introduced into a suitable comminuting vessel or reduced to a powder by
other known means.
In the preparation and use of albumen on the larger scale for the employment in the
production of my food I have experienced several disadvantages due to the properties
attaching to meat or other albumen as hitherto commercially available for the purposes
of my Invention. These include its liability to rapid decomposition and putrescence.
The necessity of first obtaining it in a dried condition and subsequently dissolving it
and its property of becoming coagulated when heated to a temperature to which I
find it necessary to subject it when inixed with the other ingredients constituting my
food. In order to overcome these disadvantages I avail myself of the property
possessed by Egg albumen of becoming permanently liquid i.e. not coagulable by heat

page_text: when placed in sealed tubes and submitted for a suitable period of time to a very high
temperature (say 400° Fahrenheit) the solution of albumen thus prepared possesses as
far as I have at present been able to ascertain the additional advantage of retaining
its original form of an alkaline albuminate similar to that found in the animal economy
whereas the commercial forms of albumen generally have the alkali removed by
treatment with hot water. It is morcover sometimes found that albumen as met with
in commerce is contaminated with traces of lead which would obviously render it
unsuitable for use in connection with dietetic preparation. It will be apparent that in
my process as now suggested such contamination becomes impossible. It will further
be seen that the risk of decomposition of the albumen is materially diminished because
it can be kept in the sealed tubes and thus out of contact with air until it is required
for incorporation with some or all of the other ingredients of my food.
According to the physiological views generally accepted Gelutine plays bu a small
part in nutrition but it is of importance to include it in my preparation of food because
it constitutes a thickening agent when in solution and although not per se of nutritive
value may nevertheless and as I think doos exert a great influenco upon the facility
with which my food is digested. I have now found out that the Vegetable Gelatine
known as Japanese Isinglass furnishes an excellent substitute for animal Gelatine in
my preparation of food. It possesses the advantage of being easily obtainable in a
state of purity and may morcover be cut up or otherwise sub-divided into small
particles so as to promote the formation of a jelly when treated with hot water suitable
for admixture with the other ingredients of my food. The jelly thus produced and of
suitable consistency may if desired be forthwith mixed with the suitable proportion of
liquid albumen prepared as above described and the mixture rendered sufficiently
permanent by the liberal combination of concentrated extractum carnis or storing in
sealing tins plunged if desirable after filling into a hot solution of Silicate of Soda and
thus hermetically sealed so as to exclude access of atmospheric air.
The proportions of pulverized meat albumen gelatine and meat extract which I
employ in the preparation of my food as above described will necessarily vary with the
character of the meat dealt with and the fluid or pasty consistency of the product it
is desired to produce, but they may be taken as being substantially the same as those
indicated in my previous Specification herein referred to.
Dated this 29th day of December ISSS.
ERNEST SALAMAN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Further Improvements in the Preparation and Combination of
Animal Substances for use as Food.
1. JOHN LAWSON JOHNSTON of 30 Farringdon Street in the City of London Manu-
facturer 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:-
The production of an improved food of bigh nutritive power capable of being con-
centrated and if necessary compressed into relatively sinall bulk with a view to render
it easily portable.
In a former Specification for which Letters Patent No. 478276 were granted to
William Wallace Auld of 33 Sutton Place in the City of Edinburgh as a communi-
cation from me I described a method of obtaining a portable food of high nutritive
power by suitably combining meat extracts pulverized meats albumen of meat and
gelatine.
I have since the grant of the said patent discovered certain improvements in the
aforesaid method thereby patented which improvements I now fully set forth and
describe.
My said improvements consist of an improved preparation of meat.
Firstly In an improved method of producing the same by sterilizing dessicating
and pulverising the meat.

page_text: In the preparation of pulverised meat with a view to its subsequent combination
and incorporation with the other materials to which reference will presently be made
it is necessary, for a well flavored compound, to avoid any charring of the flesh. To
effect this object I introduce the meat previously chopped or otherwise suitably minced
into a chamber or vessel which is heated by steam from without or contains a suitably
fitted steam coil or other contrivance of pipes within. The pressure of steam, when
employed for the heating of this vessel as above described, must not be under 20 lbs.,
or over 60 lbs. to the square inch, a convenient pressure being about 40 lbs. to the
square inch. The temperature of the interior of this chamber should be maintained at
will at a range of from 240° Fahrenheit to 300° Fahrenheit, this high temperature
being desirable in order to secure efficient sterilization of the meat introduced into the
vessel. When the meat has been subjected to this high temperature for a period
varying with the nature of the meat of from a half to two hours or longer, if
required, the pressure of the air within the chamber is reduced by means of
suitable exhaust apparatus connected with it, and is so regulated that it facilitates
the reduction of the moisture contained in the meat. The chamber or vessel is
also so contrived that the meat contained within it may be roused and turned over
by suitable means and methods as and when required. It is morcover desirablo
that the chamber or vessel shall be so fitted, that, if required, it may be filled
with an atmosphere of super-heated steam before as well as after the removal of
the meat, so as to insure purification of the apparatus and destruction of organic
germs and, if possible, of their spores, which may possibly be adherent to the
interior fittings or walls of the said vessel. This is a precautionary measure which
I consider very necessary because such gerins or their spores might, unless destroyed,
subsequently promote and develop putrifactive decomposition of the meat-Should
the introduction of superheated steam, as above described, be found inconvenient
in any particular case or locality, then I apply any available and efficient antisoptic
to the interior surface, and to the fittings of the said vessel, taking care that the
said antiseptic should be removed prior to the introduction of a fresh batch of
chopped meat. As an example of an antiseptic, which might be applied for such
a purpose, I may instance Bisulphite of Limo.
.
The meat should be kept within the chamber or vessel, above referred to, until about
two-thirds of the moisture has been expelled. It is then removed to a drying room,
the atmosphere of which is kept pure by filtration, and spread in thin layers upon
metal tables. These latter consist of flat tubes, say 30 inches by 6 inches, and extend
all round the chamber. Exhaust steam is passed through this system of table tubes,
and its temperature is so regulated that the heat of the tables is maintained at a
moderate temperature ranging from 180° Fah. down to 100° Fah. The meat is kopt
upon the tables, subject to the above stated conditions, until it is suitable for pulveri-
zation, to which end it is next introduced into a comminuting vessel, or reduced to a
powder by other known means.
Secondly. In the production of, and application to food essences of egg albumen in
a noncoagulable form. In the preparation and use of albumen on the larger scale for
employment in the production of my food I have experienced several disadvantages
due to the properties of albumen, as hitherto commercially available. These include
its liability to rapid decomposition when dissolved. The difficulty of dissolving it
from the dried forin, in which it is generally met with in commerce.
The tendency
which its solutions exhibit to become coagulated, when heated to a temperature to
which I find it necessary to subject it, when mixed with the other ingredients con-
stituting my food. The frequent presence of lead, or its salts from contamination by
the vessel in which the albumen has been prepared. The absence of the alkaline
bases removed by washing in the preparation of commercial albumen, which are
present in albumen as found in the animal economy, and finally the difficulty involved
in the adequate admixture of such commercial albumen with the other ingredients of
my food.
+
In order to obviate these disadvantages I avail myself for the first time in the

page_text: preparation of Foods of the nature described in this and in Specification 4782% of
some remarkable properties possessed by the albumen of Egg.
If Egg albumen (or what is commonly known as white of Egg) separated from tho
yolk be placed in sealed tubes, or in other suitable vessels, not made of lead, capable
of withstanding considerable internal pressure, and of being hermetically sealed, and
be gradually raised from the normal temperature, it passes through the following.
remarkable phases of modification. It becomes coagulated in the ordinary manner,
and is of the white colour common to coagulated Egg albumen. As the temperature:
is raised, the color changes gradually deepening to dark brown. At a temperature ai
or near 205° Fahrenheit (the exact temperature being dependent upon the conditions
of manipulation) all the albumen in the tube or vessel becomes converted into a deep
brown jelly, much resembling ordinary size in appearance. The jelly thus formed is
now incapable of coagulation when boiled with water, although it still retains the
composition of albumen. If it be subjected to a still greater heat, whilst still in the
tube or vessel, it liquefies completely to a brown mobile liquid. The temperature of
.complete liquefaction of the albumen will vary with the metliod of treating in manner
to be hereunder described, but in ordinary circumstances it will be reached at about
330° Fahrenheit. The liquid, thus formed, does not solidify upon cooling, and may
be kept in the sealed tubes or vessels for any convenient period of time without under-
going alteration.
I employ this liquid albumen for incorporation with the other constituents of my
Food. The tubes or other suitable vessels, in which the liquefaction is conducted, must
be very strong and thoroughly well sealed, because I have found that considerable
pressure is developed during the process, and if due precautions be not taken explosions
of the tubes, or vessels are likely to occur, with possible damage and loss of contents.
In order to minimise the risk in this direction, and generally to facilitate the process
of liquefaction, I diminish the pressure in the tubes or vessels by exhausting these
tubes or vessels by an air pump or suitable modification thereof in a convenient
manner, before applying heat to their contents. The amount of exhaustion may vary
to meet the requirements of circumstances, but I have found that the process of lique-
faction may well be accomplished in vacuo. Obviously the reduction of pressure, in
manner above set forth, will lower the temperature of liquefaction, and this is an
advantage in several ways. Among others it diminishes the risk of burning or
charring the albumen. This may occur during the operation, in which case the
resulting product will smell disagreeably. In such a case-and indeed preferably in
all cases I pass the liquid albumen through an efficient filter of animal charcoal or
finely ground bone black. This will sufficiently remove the smell; at the same time
lightening the colour of the liquid as the result of filtration. I have found that the
temperature of liquefaction may be considerably lowered by almixture of the egg
albumen in its original condition with a small quantity (say one half per cent. by volume)
of liquor potassae or solution of soda, and where desirable I make this addition. This
is equally efficient whether or no the operation be conducted under diminished
pressure.
It will be obvious that the liquid or jelly of Egg albumen may be prepared in
countries where Eggs are plentiful, thereby effecting a saving in bulk of transport and
in cost of production.
I preferably employ the liquid albumen, as above described, for incorporation with
the other constituents of my food, but I desire it to be understood that I may also
employ it when in the state of jelly as above described.
The liqui or jelly having been thus prepared it should next be mixed with other of
the food constituents. I have found that it may, with advantage, be incorporated with
what is known as meat poptone, a commercial product possessed of digestive
properties which in certain proportions promotes the solidification of the liquid
albumen after the two have been heated together, and then allowed to cool. My
experiments have convinced me that when such liquid albumen is heated with
peptone the proportion of the latter must not be less than equal to that of the

page_text: former, otherwise solidification will not be effected, but these proportions will be
variable when other ingredients such as meat extract (extractum carnis) pulverized
meat (prepared as described) and gelatine are introduced into the mixture. The
proportion of peptone to be added will, therefore, vary with the nature and quantities
of the other ingredients. I may, however, state that I find one per cent. of
peptone, upon the weight of pulverized meat employed, to constitute a convenient
quantity. The liquid or jelly albumen may be kept in closed vessels or tubes (i.e. out
of contact with air) until required for admixture, or it may be mixed in convenient
apparatus together with the meat extract and peptone. The mixture thus formed
being sterilized in a convenient apparatus, and kept in vessels so contrived that the
contents are not exposed to the air. The mixture thus obtained may be mixed
with the other ingredients of the food in proportions as and when required, or the
whole admixture may take place at one operation. The product being subsequently
heated and transferred for solidification to the tins or vessels in which the food
is sold.
Thirdly In the substitution for animal gelatine in meat food of the vegetable
mucilage commonly known as Japanese isinglass.
According to the physiological views generally accepied, gelatine plays but a small
part in animal nutrition, but it is of importance to include it or some efficient substitute
in my preparation of food, because it constitutes a thickening agent when in solution,
and although not per se of nutritive value, may nevertheless, and, as I think does exert
a great influence upon the facility with which my food is assimilated. I have found
that the vegetable mucilage, known as Japanese isinglass, furnishes an excellent sub-
stitute for animal gelatine in my preparation of food. It possesses the advantage of
being easily obtainable in a state of purity, and may moreover be cut up or otherwise
subdivided into small particles, so as to promote the formation of a jelly when softened
with hot water suitable for admixture with the other specified ingredients of my food.
The proportion of Japanese isinglass employed should be about the same as with
ordinary animal gelatine.
The proportions of pulverized neat albumen and gelatine all prepared as described
together with peptone (if desirable) and meat extract will necessarily vary with the
character of the meat dealt with and the consistency of the product it is desired to
produce, but they may be taken as being substantially the same as those indicated in
my previous Specification herein referred to.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
Firstly The improved pulverized meat prepared as described in the first part of
this Specification and the process of producing the same as heroinbefore described.
Secondly The application to concentrated animal foods of egg albumen in a non-
coagulable form, prepared and applied as hereinbefore in the second part of this
Specification described.
Thirdly The substitution in the preparation of concentrated animal food of vegetable
mucilage for animal.gelatine.
Fourthly The combining of the substances hereinbefore mentioned and described
for the production of a concentrated food.
Dated this 26th day of October 1889.
ERNEST SALAMAN,
65 & 66, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for Applicant.