Benjamin Eisenstadt
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Eisenstadt designer the modern sugar packet
s and developed Sweet'N Low
. He was the founder of the Cumberland Packing Corporation.
on December 7, 1906. He attended Brooklyn College
then operated a cafeteria across from the Brooklyn Naval Yard. He switched to making tea bag
s after his cafeteria business declined.
He came up with the idea of single servings of table sugar to utilize his tea bag machinery. He shopped the idea to the major sugar producers, but since he didn't get a patent, they used his idea without paying him proper royalties.
In 1957 he came up with a formula for a powdered saccharin
sweetener. Previously saccharin was sold as liquid drops, or tiny tablets. He mixed the saccharin with dextrose to bulk it up to a teaspoon sized portion, added cream of tartar, and calcium silicate
as anti-caking agents. He marketed it in bright pink packets.
His company was also the first to package soy sauce
and other single serving condiments. After his company was successful he became chairman of the board
of the foundation for Maimonides Medical Center
.
He married Betty Gellman (1910-2001) on October 27, 1931 while living at 1250 44th Street in Brooklyn. They had the following children: Marvin Eisenstadt who married Barbara; Gladys Eisenstadt; Ira Eisenstadt who married Deirdre Howley, and Ellen Eisenstadt who married Herbert Cohen.
has the Eisenstadt Administration Building and the Gellman Pavilion. The Gellman Pavilion was named in memory of Dr. Abraham Gellman, the brother of Betty Gellman (1910-2001).
Sugar packet
A sugar packet is a delivery method for one 'serving' of sugar. Sugar packets are commonly supplied in restaurants and coffee bars in preference to sugar bowls or sugar dispensers for reasons of neatness, sanitation, spill control, and to some extent portion control.-Statistics:A typical sugar...
s and developed Sweet'N Low
Sweet'N Low
Sweet'n Low is a brand of artificial sweetener from granulated saccharin, dextrose and cream of tartar. It was invented and first introduced in 1957 by Benjamin Eisenstadt and his son, Marvin Eisenstadt...
. He was the founder of the Cumberland Packing Corporation.
Biography
He was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on December 7, 1906. He attended Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
then operated a cafeteria across from the Brooklyn Naval Yard. He switched to making tea bag
Tea bag
A tea bag is a small, porous sealed bag containing tea leaves and used for brewing tea. Tea bags are commonly made of paper, silk or plastic. The bag contains the tea leaves while the tea is brewed, making it easier to dispose of the leaves, and performs the same function as a tea infuser...
s after his cafeteria business declined.
He came up with the idea of single servings of table sugar to utilize his tea bag machinery. He shopped the idea to the major sugar producers, but since he didn't get a patent, they used his idea without paying him proper royalties.
In 1957 he came up with a formula for a powdered saccharin
Saccharin
Saccharin is an artificial sweetener. The basic substance, benzoic sulfilimine, has effectively no food energy and is much sweeter than sucrose, but has a bitter or metallic aftertaste, especially at high concentrations...
sweetener. Previously saccharin was sold as liquid drops, or tiny tablets. He mixed the saccharin with dextrose to bulk it up to a teaspoon sized portion, added cream of tartar, and calcium silicate
Calcium silicate
Calcium silicate is the chemical compound Ca2SiO4, also known as calcium orthosilicate and sometimes formulated 2CaO.SiO2. It is one of group of compounds obtained by reacting calcium oxide and silica in various ratios e.g. 3CaO.SiO2, Ca3SiO5; 2CaO.SiO2, Ca2SiO4; 3CaO.2SiO2, Ca3Si2O7 and...
as anti-caking agents. He marketed it in bright pink packets.
His company was also the first to package soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
and other single serving condiments. After his company was successful he became chairman of the board
Chairman of the Board
The Chairman of the Board is a seat of office in an organization, especially of corporations.Chairman of the Board may also refer to:*Chairman of the Board , a 1998 film*Chairmen of the Board , a 1970s American soul music group...
of the foundation for Maimonides Medical Center
Maimonides Medical Center
Maimonides Medical Center is a non-profit, non-sectarian hospital located in Borough Park, Brooklyn. Maimonides is both a treatment facility and academic medical center with 705 beds, and more than 70 primary care and sub-specialty programs...
.
He married Betty Gellman (1910-2001) on October 27, 1931 while living at 1250 44th Street in Brooklyn. They had the following children: Marvin Eisenstadt who married Barbara; Gladys Eisenstadt; Ira Eisenstadt who married Deirdre Howley, and Ellen Eisenstadt who married Herbert Cohen.
Death
Benjamin died at age 89, of complications from coronary bypass surgery at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. His daughter, Ellen Eisenstadt, had suggested the bypass surgery and her mother never forgave her for the death of Benjamin. When Betty died in 2001 she had removed Ellen and her children from her will.Legacy
Maimonides Medical CenterMaimonides Medical Center
Maimonides Medical Center is a non-profit, non-sectarian hospital located in Borough Park, Brooklyn. Maimonides is both a treatment facility and academic medical center with 705 beds, and more than 70 primary care and sub-specialty programs...
has the Eisenstadt Administration Building and the Gellman Pavilion. The Gellman Pavilion was named in memory of Dr. Abraham Gellman, the brother of Betty Gellman (1910-2001).
Timeline
- 1906 Birth in Brooklyn
- 1945 Cumberland Cafeteria closes
- 1947 Cumberland Cafeteria converted to Cumberland Packaging Corporation
- 1956 Marvin Eisenstadt joins the company
- 1970 "Sweet'N Low" registered trademark of Cumberland Packaging Corporation
- 1996 Death in Brooklyn
- 2001 Death of Betty Gellman, his widow
Further reading
- New York Times; December 29, 1996. "Household Names"
- "Sweet and Low," by Rich Cohen.