Patent ID: 7824569

Claim:
A dry salt comprising a biopolymer of at least an extracellular polymeric substance EPS naturally produced by Rhizobium tropici , said dry salt made by: placing a culture of said Rhizobium tropici in at least one container of water and nutrients; maintaining said culture and said water-nutrient mixture for a pre-specified hold time to produce a first mixture comprising at least said water and said EPS; decanting said first mixture to yield said EPS and an aqueous fluid; precipitating said EPS with an alcohol to yield a first precipitate; adding to each said first precipitate at least one hydroxide to dissolve said first precipitate by mixing said hydroxide with said first precipitate to yield a homogeneous second mixture with a pH above about 10; derivatizing said second mixture by adding at least one solid first salt, mixing said first salt with said second mixture to establish a homogeneous third mixture; isolating said third mixture in an alcohol to yield a second precipitate; decanting said alcohol, leaving at least said second precipitant; rinsing said second precipitant at least once; and drying said rinsed second precipitant to yield said dry salt.