The Manufacture of an Improved Alimentary Extract.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1898-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
The Manufacture of an Improved Alimentary Extract.
We, EDWARD CHARLES LUDWIG KRESSEL, of 21, Glaserton Road, in the County
of London, Analytical Chemist, and THOMAS HILL-JONES, of 31, Eagle Wharf
Road, in the County of London, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of an improved alimentary extract
of great value as an article of food, the invention comprising improvements on
former Patent No. 15885 of 1895.
In manufacturing the extract according to the present invention we take
ordinary yeast such as brewer's yeast and wash the same so as to remove the
bitter taste therefrom, that is to say, we wash the yeast in water without the
addition of any chemicals as described in the specification of the said former patent.
Other yeast than brewer's yeast may be employed and in the case of distiller's
yeast no washing is necessary.
The object of our invention is to hydrate the proteid matter contained in the
protoplasin of the yeast cells and to form peptones and according to our present
invention we do this by the aid of digestive agents or chemicals or by the action
of superheated steam upon the yeast in the manner hereinafter appearing.
When we use digestive agents or chemicals we proceed as follows:-
We strain off the water used for the washing operation and add to the washed
yeast about 2% by weight of common salt (Na Cl) and subject the mixture to
a temperature not exceeding 60° to 65° Centigrade for a space of time not less
than three hours.
At the end of about three hours it will be found that the contents of the
vacuum pan or other heating vessel have become somewhat pasty. We then thin
and dilute the same with water cooling down the mixture to a temperature of
about 40° to 45° Centigrade. We add to about every thousand parts of this
cooled mixture about one part of a digestive principle or agent.
The composition of a digestive agent which we have found work very well is as
follows, viz.-—
Sugar of milk 20 oz.; pepsin 4 oz.; pancreatin 3 oz.; ptyalin or diastase 2 drchms.;
lactic acid 2 fld. drchms.; hydrochloric acid 2 fld. drchms., these ingredients
making up or representing artificially the chemical components of the gastric or
pancreatic juices of the digestive organs. The actual proportions of each of the
constituents named, may be varied to suit the different characters or qualities of
yeast employed, and we have found that pepsine alone or other similar digestive
agents may be employed in place of the digestive agent more particularly
described.
We may also in lieu of the digestive agent herein before referred to add to the
diluted and cooled contents of the vacuum pan or other heating vessel the chemical
substance known as formic aldehyde. When using this substance we add to about
every thousand parts of the cooled and diluted contents of the vacuum pan or other
heating vessel, about one to five parts of formic aldehyde. After adding any of

page_text: the above substances we digest the mixture at a temperature of about 40° to 45°
C. until hydration is completely effected.
Complete peptonisation or hydration having taken place we strain the liquor or
pass it through a filter-press so as to remove all solid matter or deposit which
now will consist only of cellulose matter or the shells of the yeast cells. The
resulting clear liquor is then condensed in vacuo until it attains the consistency of
a paste when it is ready to be potted or put up for use.
When we desire to hydrate the proteid matter contained in the protoplasm of
the yeast cells and to form peptones by the action of superheated steam upon the
yeast we proceed as follows,-We wash the yeast and strain off the washing water
in the manner herein before described. We then place the washed yeast into a
digesting vessel or boiler by preference closed and provided with a suitable safety
valve and we pass into the vessel live steam at a temperature of from 180° to 200°
Centigrade. The steam is advantageously introduced into the vessel by means
of a perforated coil resting on the bottom of the vessel though other modes of
introducing the steam may be adopted. The treatment with the steam is
continued until all the proteids have been hydrated and converted into peptones,
the process usually taking about an our but analysis of samples taken from
the vessel will enable the operator to ascertain when the hydration has been
completed.
After hydration has been completed the liquor is strained through a filter press
and condensed in a manner similar to that adopted when digestive agents or
chemicals are employed.
The Manufacture of an Improved Alimentary Extract.
We, EDWARD CHARLES LUDWIG KRESSEL, of 21, Glaserton Road, in the County of
London, Analytical Chemist, and THOMAS HILL-JONES, of 31, Eagle Wharf Road,
in the County of London, Manufacturing Chemist, 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 the manufacture of an improved alimentary extract of
great value as an article of food, the invention comprising improvements on British
Patent No. 15885 of 1895.
In manufacturing the extract according to the present invention we take ordinary
yeast such as brewer's yeast and wash the same so as to remove the bitter taste
therefrom, that is to say, we wash the yeast in water without the addition of any
chemicals as described in the specification of the said former patent. Other yeast
than brewer's yeast may be employed and in the case of distiller's yeast no washing
is necessary.
The object of our invention is to hydrate the proteid matter contained in the
protoplasm of the yeast cells and to form peptones and according to our present
invention we do this by the aid of digestive agents or chemicals or by the action of
superheated steam upon the yeast in the manner hereinafter appearing.
When we use digestive agents or chemicals we proceed as follows:
We strain off the water used for the washing operation and add to the washed
yeast about 2% by weight of common salt (Na Cl) and subject the mixture to a

page_text: temperature not exceeding 600 to 65° Centigrade for a space of time not less than
three hours. We have found in practice that this temperature is sufficient to kill
the yeast cells but is not high enough to coagulate all the proteids which together
with other constituents, form the real flesh formers of our extract and without which
it would hardly be of any value at all. Should the temperature, to which the yeast
is subjected, materially exceed 65° C. most of the proteid matter would be coagulated
which would render it more difficult to effect the hydration.
We find it advantageous, therefore, in practice to conduct this heating operation
in vacuo so that the temperature can be accurately regulated.
At the end of about three hours it will be found that the contents of the vacuum
pan or other heating vessel have become somewhat pasty. We then thin and dilute
the same with water, cooling down the mixture to a temperature of about 40° to 45°
Centigrade. We add to about every thousand parts of this cooled mixture about
one part of a digestive principle or agent.
The addition of the digestive principle or agent effects an artificial digestion or
peptonization of the contents of the yeast cells, as coagulable and insoluble proteid
matter (albumins and globulins etc.), being soluble in gastric and pancreatic juices,
is thereby hydrated and converted into a variety of proteids called peptones.
The composition of a digestive agent which we have found to work very well is
as follows, viz. :—
Sugar of milk 20 oz.; pepsin 4 oz.; pancreatin 3 oz.; ptyalin or diastase
2 drchms.; lactic acid 2 fid. drchms.; hydrochloric acid 2 fld. drchms., these
ingredients making up or representing artificially the chemical components of the
gastric or pancreatic juices of the digestive organs. The actual proportions of
each of the constituents named may be varied to suit the different characters or
qualities of yeast employed, and we have found that pepsin alone or other similar
digestive agents may be employed in place of the digestive agent more particularly
described.
We may also, in lieu of the digestive agent herein before referred to, add to the
diluted and cooled contents of the vacuum pan or other heating vessel the chemical
substance known as formic aldehyde. When using this substance we add to about
every thousand parts of the cooled and diluted contents of the vacuum pan or
other heating vessel about one to five parts of formic aldehyde. After adding
any of the above substances we digest the mixture at a temperature of about 40°
to 45° C. until hydration is completely effected.
.
The action of formic aldehyde is a synthetic process only, which renders the
otherwise insoluble proteids soluble, and may be considered generally as the reaction
whereby two hydrogen atoms of one or two amido-groups are replaced by the
radicle methylen CH₂.
This reaction may be represented by the following equation.

page_text: When we desire to hydrate the proteid matter contained in the protoplasm of
the yeast cells and to form peptones by the action of superheated steam upon the
yeast we proceed as follows,-We wash the yeast and strain off the washing water
in the manner hereinbefore described. We then place the washed yeast into
a digesting vessel or boiler by preference closed and provided with a suitable
safety valve, and we pass into the vessel live steam at a temperature of from 180°
to 200° Centigrade. The steam is advantageously introduced into the vessel by
means of a perforated coil though other modes of introducing the steam may be
adopted.
A vessel which we find suitable in practice for carrying out the process is shewn
in vertical section in the accompanying drawing:
In the said drawing a is the vessel or pan, and b the coil, the lower part of which
is perforated as shewn. The vessel a is provided with the usual fittings such as
the safety valve c, thermometer d and gauge e. f is a manhole for filling the
vessel a, g discharge pipe, h manhole for cleaning out purposes and i a pipe for
the escape of any excess of steam.
The treatment with the steam is continued until all the proteids have been
hydrated and converted into peptones, the process usually taking about an hour
but analysis of samples taken from the vessel will enable the operator to ascertain
when the hydration has been completed.
After hydration has been completed the liquor is strained through a filter press
and condensed in a manner similar to that adopted when digestive agents or
chemicals are employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Treating yeast by the processes herein before described whereby the
extraction of practically the whole of the protoplasm or contents of the yeast cells
is effected, in the manner and for the purposes, substantially as described.
2. The described process for the manufacture of an alimentary extract, such
process consisting in subjecting washed yeast, to which common salt has been
added, to a temperature not exceeding from 60°-65° C, and in treating the
resulting product with a digestive agent or with formic aldehyde (at a temperature
of between 40°-45° C.) until complete peptonisation or hydration has been
effected, the liquor being then strained or filtered off and condensed, substantially
as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore described.
3. In the manufacture of an alimentary extract as described in the preceding
claiming clause, the employment of superheated steam in place of the digestive
agent or formic aldehyde, substantially as described.
4. As a new article of manufacture the alimentary extract herein before
described.
5. In the described process for the manufacture of an alimentary extract from
yeast by treating it with superheated steam, the employment of the apparatus
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Daved the run day of May 10.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.