USRE13495E - houston - Google Patents

Description

without deteriorating U NTED STATES PATENT OFFCE.

.EDWARD D. HOUSTON, OF WORCESTER- MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NATIONAL-0NION SALT COLIPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, A. CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

SEASONING AND METOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

' Specification of Reissuved Letters Patent. H Qssucd Dec, 10, 1912,

No Drawing. Original No. 970.712, dated September 20, 1910, Serial No. 553.954. Application for reissue filed September 18, 1912. Serial No. 721.101.

`specification.

This invention relates to a seasoning for use with foods, and to a .met-bod of making the'same.

The principal objects.ofthe-inyention are to provide a` palatable seasoning suitable for general use as a substitute for a natural flavor, butparticularly on meats, which can be very cheaply and expeditiously manufactured, and 'can be put'u'p or packed in small packages and lused conveniently at the table, and which shall be.'of 'such a. nature that7 it will keep -for indefinite .-periods of time or"losing;itsl strength. Broadly considci the inventionalso 1nvolve's the Vproduct-ion of a new article of focd particularly for seasoning purposes which will add materially to the economy o f the table, becauseit.- will render .foods palatable that ordinarily-'would not be, and because Ait. willpermit the use of -a 'certain flavor at all seasons of the year and in places where the vegetable from which it isderived could not be readily transported. v

Further objects and advantages of the-im vention .will -apppauhereinaften I am aware that seasoning materials have been made from dried and ypulverized vegelahlesl with or without other constituents but-my invent-ion `involves a new product and a prqess of making it whereby the veg- 'ctable fiber is better preserved and all of the flavor reta-ined. In order to obtain such a seasoning material it has been proposed to thoroughly desiccate a desired vegetable, grind it to powdered form and mixwlth salt but it. is ditlicultto maintain such a mixture in a Ahomogeneous condition and the salt 'doesnot and cannotA come. in intimate contact. with any of the vegetable fiber exceptthc exposed surface thereof.

ln carrying out. my invention Ibring .sa-lt into the most intimate contact with the ber,

and prci'ent the salt and fiber from'svparatmg after the product is manufactured by causing a quantity of the salt to dissolve 'in the juice of the vegetable. and in direct contact with the fiber. The disso-lied salt permeates into the cellular structure of the liber and becomes most intimately i associated therewith. Upon drying the mass, the aqueous portions of the juice are driven oil and the salt is caused to precipitate or crystallize within and upon thc fiber. The evaporating is carried on et a comparatively low temperature so that the fiber is not injuriously affected by the heatI and all of the essential oils and other'non-volatile constituents of the juice are retained in the fiber which acts as a carrier.

In itsprcfcrred embodimentthc invention consists in thc preparation of the ordinary onion -so that it may be used for seasoning purposes in the manner ,above specified.

he Invent-lon although more suitable for the utilization of onions Ais capable also of application to some other vegetables for the purpose of"utihznug them m a similar way. For purposes of il ustration' I will describe one way in which my improved method may be carried out and one productwhich is obtained, using onion as the vegetable heilig treated.

A. quantity of onions or other vegetables containing moisture, say for example., -100 lbs., are peeled sutliciently to expose their inner moist surfaces, and they may be cut up into pieces of any desired size. Vith these onions a quantity of commonvsalt is mixed, Apreferably less than 50%, and in the example indicated, about 4l) lbs. areordinarily used. This salt is applied to the onions in any desired way as by sprinkling or pourim'Ir it over their surface, and it. has been foun in practice that the more of the ex'posed moist or juicecovered surfaces of the onions are covered by the salt the more rapid and .thorough is the action hereinafter described. This mixture of the saltand onion preferably is accomplished by placing the onions or pieces thereof in layers in. a receptacle and sprinkling the salt over eacli laye;l before the superposed layers are introduced.

partial liquefaction takes place by the partial dissolving of the Salt in the onion juice.

Almost as soon as the salt is ap. plied to the' moist surfaces of the onionay tion of the air which is' held by the porous structures of the onion. Numerous small bubbles are fqrmed. and appear in the form of a froth on the surface of the onion and indicate that the salt is dissolving and venf tering the cellular structure. Apparently i' the dissolved salt enters the solid portions of the vegetable as stated, but what further' chemical action takes place, if any, I am not prepared to state. After this action has commenced the whole mixture is runthrough a. Grinding machine or'ot-herwse finely divided in any desired way and reduced to a pulp. I findthat this ubovedcscribed action bet-Ween the salt and 'onion continues during the grinding operation," and afterwardpand that-'the pulp produced in this way 1s comparatively thin and creamy, the particles going through the grinder being very minute. In this way the salt comes in contact with the. smallest surface of the onion and by the time a mass of the above described proportions yis thoroughly ground the action of the salt on the onion is subevaporate theaqueous portions of the juice' -stantially cmplete, the formation of air bubbles ceases, and no .further time need be allowed for this action. The next step is to #which I do by placing the mixture in a dry,

. days.

- appear. when they are pure white.

warm place, .and leaving it for sufficient time. For a. mixture, such as that described above, exposed in a suitable receptacle, placed on anordinary lsteam radiator at a temperature of steam under a' very low pressure, the evaporation requires about two' It will be remembered that the particles of onion are extremely small. I have generally used a grinder fr o'm which no particle of pulpwhich"is more 4than one 16th of an inch in diameter can emerge. W'hen the substance is evaporated as aforesaid it is found to form thin flakes, very often apparcntlyconsisting of a sheet of vegetable pulp of irregular sizet and shape but of ap.- proximatel'y uniform thicktiess coated,

chiefly on, one side with crystallized salt.

These flakes unite with each other in vari,- ous orms,and form masses of from a quarter to a half inch across. They are quit'e light in weight and of a yellowish to light brown color, except where crystals ofI salt sume from this that an excess of salt has .any desired way and placed in an ordinary 4salt shaker or some such receptacle. Thon 'exposed on the surfaces o israeley one to use, and extremely suitable for use .on the table as well as for seasoning -foodswhile they are being prepared. The result--`` ant pr uct is readlly sub-divided into any desired q antities, can be transported to any distance and into any climate, can bel kept until the particular vegetable of which it 1s made is'outof season, can be made so inex' pensively that it is within thereach of all. Also the flavor is such that it will add ma. terially tothe value of foods which vare 'of a '35 more or less tasteless character thus permit#` ting economyat table. v I do not wish to be limited to ea'ch particular step or orderofsteps, or to all the details of the product,I which I have'described. What I do claimisg, i a 1. The method of making: seasoning whichconsists in producing amixture o 'iinel ground ve table fiber, vegetable juieean common sa t inl solution in said juiregeva'f rating the aqueous portions of'said iliee crystallize said salt in contact with said 'f i and vthen pulverizing the dry mass. t

2. The method of.makingf af-seasoningjqw which consists ndissolvin salt in the juice g' fresh vegetable fiber, evaporating the'juice to dry the vegatable fiber and crystallize the salt in-int-if mate contact drymass.

3. The method of making a seasonin which consists in bringing salt into intimate Contact with the moist surface of onion fiber to lform a solution of the sal't in the juice of 11o.

the onion and evaporating saidjnice to precipitate the salt in intimate contact with the onion fiber.

4. The method of making a seasonin .which consists in. subdividing a. quantity o onions so as'to expose the moist surfaces of the fibers and placing. in 'contact with said' moist` surfaces afquantityr of common salt. leaving the salt in contact with said'sur faces until it partially dissolves in the juice 120 of the onion, evaporating the aqueous portions of the onion juice to dry the fiber and 'to precipitate the dissolved salt-in intimate therewith and pulveiizing l salt to partially dissolve in the onion`juices, and evaporating the aqueous portion of the onion juice to leave the salt in intimate cony the form of froth ap ear thereon, grinding tact with the onion ber.

6. The method of making seasoning which consists in subdividing a quantity of onions so as to expose the moist inner surfaces, adding thereto common salt in contact with said moist surfaces, permitting the salt to remain in contact with said surfaces. until it partially dissolves in the juice of the onion, grinding the mixture to a pulp and drying in a warm place until the pulp forms into a dry mass.

7. The method of making seasonin which consists in subdividing a quantity o onions so as'to expose their moist inner surfaces, adding thereto common salt in contact with said moist surfaces, permitting the salti to remain in contact with said surfaces until it partiall dissolves in the onion juice, grinding t e mixture to pulp, drying in a warm place untilI the pulp forms lnto a mass consisting of onion fiber with crystals of salt thereon and pulverizing the same to fine wder.

8. he method of making a seasoning which consists in subdviding a quantity of onions so as to expose the moist inner surfaces, placing in contact with said moist surfaces a quantity of common salt, leaving the saltvin contact with said surfaces until it partially dissolves in the onion juice thereon, reducing the mixture to pulp, drying until the pulp forms into a substantially dry mass and pulverizng the same tg produce a fine powder.

9. The method of making seasoning which consists in peeling a quantity of onions so `as to expose the moist inner surfaces, adding thereto about 40% by weight of common salt in contact with said moist surfaces, permitting the salt to remain in contact with said surfaces until bubbles in the form of a froth appear thereon, grinding the mixture to a pulp, and drying in a warm place until the pulp forms into'a mass consisting of dryl Hakes. Y

10. Thev method of making seasoning which consists in peeling a quantity 'of on` ions so as to. .expose the moist inner surfaces, adding thereto about 40% by weight of common salt in Contact with said moist,"

surfaces, ermitting the saltto remain in contact with said surfaces until bubbles in the mixture to a pu p, drying in a warm place until the ulp forms into a mass consistingof dry sakes, with crystals of salt upon one side thereof, and pulveriziiig the same to produce a ine powder.

11. The method of making a seasoning lwhich consists of peeling a quantity offonions so as to expose the moist inner surfaces, placingv inv contact with said moist surfaces a quantity of common salt, leaving the salt in contact with said surfaces until bubbles in the form of froth appear thereon, reducing 4.the mixture to a pulp, dr ing until the pulp forms into a mass of ry Hakes, and i pow er.

12. As-an article of manufacture, a seasoning consisting of onion with salt there? on in the form of masses of dry 4flakes, having onion plilp on one side and salt crystals on the other. .l

13. As anaiticle of manufacture a seasoning consisting of onion in the lorm of masses of dry flakes, having crystals of salt thereon. n

14. As an article ofmanufacture a sea soning consisting of onion fiber with salt crystals adhering tlreto.

15. As an article. of manufacture a soning consisting of onion inthe formul` masses of dry salt thereon.

16. As an article of manufacture a seasoning consisting of finely subdivided onion fiber with crystals of salt4 adhering to the particles thereof.

17. As an article of manufacture a 2seasoning consisting of'particles of onion fiber and salt formed thereon by crystallization. '95

18. As an article of manufacture a vegetable liber in a dry, finely subdivided form, the non volatile portions o juice of the vegetable and salt attached to the ber by crystallization. e

. A EDWARD D. HOUSTON. Witnesses:

RUFUs B. DODGE,

C. W. FAIRBANK.

ulverizing the same to produce a fine particles having crystals df`