Improvements in the Preservation of Green Vegetables and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 25th Jan.,
1896
[Communicated from abroad by MARIE BRAUMANN and ANNA BRAUMANN, both
of Wallhausen an der Helme, in the Empire of Germany.]
Improvements in the Preservation of Green Vegetables and
the like.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 31, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County
of Lancaster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
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 :—
The present invention has for its object the preservation of green vegetables
and especially green cucumber slices, fresh beans, cabbage, spinach and the like in
the uncooked and unpickled condition and maintain their appearance, freshness,
aroma and natural firmness for a long period without the use of hermetically
sealed vessels or great cold. The process also removes from cucumbers and the
like the sap injurious to digestion. These advantages are secured by treating the
vegetables with sugar and a preservative (salt) and separating them with the aid of
gentle pressure from the sap thereby extracted which sap is harmful to digestion.
For the preservation of the natural qualities of the green vegetables it is
advisable to add together with the preserving material oak leaves and to treat
the preserved mass on the surface with means for removing water (alcohol). This
is effected in the simplest manner by rinsing the walls of the containing vessel
with alcohol before placing the vegetables to be preserved therein.
The process is carried into effect preferably somewhat as follows:-
The cut salad or other vegetables are placed in a vessel pierced with holes and
lined with oak leaves and a mixture of about one part of sugar to about 4 parts of
salt is scattered over them. Hereupon a portion of the sap escapes which in the
case of cucumber salad contains the injurious principle. After the sap has run
through the perforated bottom of the vessel the mass is covered with a lid and
gently pressed and then placed in the forwarding vessel after the same has been
carefully rinsed out with alcohol. It is advisable before despatching a salad or the
like to cover the same with a layer of sugar and salt. Cucumber slices prepared
in this manner can be kept in open vessels until next year or in closed vessels for
several years and they remain quite green and firm, do not become pulpy and can
be prepared in any manner to suit the taste of the consumer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The process for preserving green vegetables, cucumber slices, green beans,
cabbage, spinach and the like in a fresh, uncooked condition preserving their
natural appearance, freshness, aroma and condition with the removal of sap
injurious to digestion without the use of sealed vessels consisting essentially in
treating the vegetables to be preserved with sugar and a preservative such as salt
with or without the addition of oak leaves and pressing the same gently after the
separation of the sap.

page_text: 2. In the process set forth in Claim 1 the treating of the surface of the mass to
be preserved with a de-hydrating substance such as alcohol.
Dated this 18th day of December 1895.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
31, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.