An Improved Method of Preparing Peptonized Soluble Meat and Peptone.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 7th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 30th May, 1891
An Improved Method of Preparing Peptonized Soluble Meat and
Peptone.
We, Dr. NICOLAS ETIENNE and Dr. ALPHONSE DELHAYE both of Angréau,
near Roisin, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Physicians, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object to supply a product which, besides the extractive
part of meat shall contain all the albuminoid substances of the latter transformed
into peptones.
In contradistinction to the methods heretofore employed of preparing extracts of
meat which contain only few or no nutritive principles, this method gives a product
which contains the entire alimentary substances of the meat in the assimilable form
of peptone..
The meat, having previously been freed from the tendinous parts and fat, is
chopped and reduced to a pulp. It is then introduced into an autoclave or digester
together with about half its weight of water.
Into this apparatus we admit steam under a sufficient pressure for obtaining a
temperature of upwards of 150 degrees Centigrade, but less than 175 degrees.
This temperature is maintained for one hour.
The meat is disaggregated, at the expense of part of its albuminoid elements
propeptone and peptone are formed which are dissolved at the same time as the
extractive parts of the meat.
We express the material and obtain a liquid which has the smell and taste of an
excellent gravy, and which we reserve for subsequent employment and a friable
residue representing in weight about one third of the weight of the fresh meat
employed.
This residue is treated in a water-bath by its weight of concentrated hydrochloric
acid until the fibromuscular skeleton has been completely disaggregated and
decomposed.
Next the product is filtered.
The residue which is very small (it represents about one tenth of the weight of
the meat employed and it is certain that in the manufacture on a large scale it will
be much less) can be sold after it has been washed, as artificial manure in the form
of an organic substance.
The liquor neutralized by sodium carbonate contains peptone and sodium
chloride.
If pure peptone is to be obtained the solution is decolourized by animal charcoal,
and then subjected to a dialysis for the purpose of freeing it from the salts which it
contains. Otherwise, that is to say if an extract of meat is to be obtained the
aforesaid solution is mixed with the liquor produced by the water under pressure,
and the whole is evaporated in a vacuum until the concentration is sufficient.
The operation can also be effected in the following manner. The meat is treated
in a digester under the conditions above stated but the degree of heat may be
higher than 175 degrees. the quantity of peptone obtained being the greater the
greater the pressure. Great care however must be exercised to obviate a
disagreeable taste of the gravy or liquor by raising the temperature to too high
a degree. With precautions 200 degrees may be reached without inconvenience.
This limit must be regarded as approximative. The filtration and the treatment
of the residue take place under the conditions herein before stated, with the
exception that the quantity of hydrochloric acid can be reduced to one twentieth
part of the weight of the meat, the result obtained being similar.

page_text: The meat being well chopped can also be treated directly by the quantity of
concentrated hydrochloric acid hereinbefore stated. When the disaggregation is
complete an equal weight of water saturated in the hot state with sodium carbonate
is added to the mass which is then filtered. The cake, à residue of disaggregated
meat, is after washing treated under pressure by water under the conditions above
stated for the fresh meat. The evaporated aqueous and alkaline solutions constitute
the extract of meat.
It will thus be observed that we decompose by concentrated hydrochloric acid in
a water-bath and transform into peptone, the residue left by the action of the water
at 150 degrees Centigrade upon the meat.
Although the mere decomposition of the meat by water at a high pressure gives
a satisfactory product as regards the taste and the proportion of peptone we com-
plete the action of this agent by the employment of hydrochloric acid which gives
to the product a greater quantity of peptone and a stronger taste. By the action
of hydrochloric acid alone a much smaller proportion of peptone of a less agreeable
taste is obtained either under the conditions described by Leube or under other
conditions.
Dated this 14th day of July 1890
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Preparing Peptonized Soluble Meat and
Peptone.
We, Dr. NICOLAS ETIENNE and Dr. ALPHONSE DELILAYE both of Augréau,
near Roisin, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Physicians, 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 method or process of preparing peptonized soluble
meat, and peptone as hereinafter described.
Our improved process has for its object to supply a product containing besides
the extractive part of the meat, all albuminoid substances transformed into
peptones.
In contradistinction to the usual means for preparing the meat-extracts for the
trade, which contain but few, or no nutritive principles, our improved process will
yield a product possessing all the alimentary capacity of the meat, in a directly
assimilable form, that is to say peptone.
Our improved process is carried into effect in the following manner:
The meat after being relieved from all tendinous parts and grease, is chopped
and mashed. It is then introduced into an autoclave, with about half its weight
of water.
Steam is admitted into this autoclave of a sufficient pressure to obtain a
temperature of above 150 degrees Centigrade but under 175 degrees. This
temperature is maintained continuously for one hour.
The meat will be disaggregated; part of the albuminoid matter will be trans-
formed into propeptone and peptone, which enter into solution simultaneously with
the extracfive parts of the meat.
The mass is then expressed, and a liquor having the smell and taste of an.
excellent beef tea, is obtained. We also obtain a friable residuum of about one
third the weight of the fresh meat used.
This residuum is treated in a water bath with an equal weight of concentrated
hydrochloric acid, until the complete disaggregation and decomposition of the
fibromuscular tissue. The product is then filtered.
The residuum thus obtained, which is very small is, after being washed, sold as

page_text: artificial manure. The said residuum has only about ro of the weight of the
fresh meat used, and could be considerably reduced in the manufacture on a large
scale. The liquors neutralized by carbonate of sodium contains peptone and
chloride of sodium.
If it is desired to obtain pure peptone, the solution is discoloured by animal
charcoal and then submitted to the dialysis to free it from the salts contained
therein. If not, that is to say, if it is desired to obtain a meat extract, we mix this
solution with the liquor obtained by the squeezing of the mass, and the mixture is
evaporated in the vacuum until it is sufficiently concentrated.
The process can also be carried out in the following manner:-
The meat is treated in an autoclave in the manner heretofore set forth, and the
temperature may be raised above 175 degrees which will cause the quantity of
peptone to be larger in proportion to the higher steam pressure. Great care must.
however, be taken, not to impart a disagreeable taste to the liquor by making the-
temperature too high.
By proceeding cautiously, the temperature may without any inconvenience be
raised to 200 degrees. This higher limit may consequently be considered as
approximative. The filtering and the treatment of the residuum are performed in
the same manner with this exception, that the quantity of hydrochloric acid
can be reduced to one twentieth of the meat whereby the same result will be
obtained.
The meat after being thoroughly chopped can also be directly treated by
the above indicated quantity of concentrated hydrochloric acid." When the
disaggregation is complete, we add to the mass its weight in water, saturated
when hot with CO₂H, (carbonic acid) and filter the same. The residuum
of disaggregated meat is, after being washed treated in water under pressure
in the manner hereinbefore described for fresh meat. The evaporated aqueous
and alkaline solutions constitute the meat extract. In this process the meat is
decomposed by concentrated hydrochloric acid in the water bath, and I transform
into peptone the residuum by the action of water at 150 degrees Centigrade.
Although the single decomposition of the meat by water under high pressure
yields a satisfactory product with regard to taste and richness of peptone, the
action of this agent is completed by using hydrochloric acid (HCl) which imparts
to the products a larger richuess of peptone and more savour. The action of
the hydrochloric acid alone yields under all circumstances a considerably smaller
proportion of peptone of a less agreeable taste.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
First. The preparation of peptone or soluble peptonized meat by the action of
concentrated hydrochloric acid in the water bath, upon the residuum left by the
action of water of 150 degrees Centigrade on the meat and the evaporation of the.
liquors thus obtained, substantially as herein before set forth.
Second. The preparation of peptone by the decomposition of meat under the
combined action of water under a sufficient pressure to obtain a temperature of
150 degrees to 200 degrees Centigrade and concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCI)
substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.