PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF METHIONINE

This disclosure relates to a process for preparing D,L-methionine by feeding carbon dioxide to an aqueous potassium methioninate solution obtained by hydrolysis of 5-(2-methylmercaptoethyl)hydantoin, in order to precipitate out crude methionine, which is separated off and purified. In this process an aqueous solution of the separated-off crude methionine is purified by recrystallization from a solution containing potassium ions and also a crystallization additive. The crystallization additive is a nonionic or anionic surfactant, or a mixture of different nonionic or anionic surfactants. The recrystallization occurs by introducing a 60 to 110° C.-hot methionine solution into a 35 to 80° C.-warm methionine suspension, a temperature of which is lower than that of the introduced solution, such that the temperature of the methionine suspension being maintained between 35 and 80° C. during the addition. The crystallization additive is a sorbitan fatty acid ester or a mixture of different sorbitan fatty acid esters.