Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Edible casing or container – Animal derived
Patent
1995-05-09
1996-09-10
Corbin, Arthur L.
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Edible casing or container
Animal derived
426277, A22C 1300
Patent
active
055544010
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to edible collagen casings for foodstuffs, particularly for sausages; and to the production thereof.
BACKGROUND
Collagen casings are widely used and have certain advantages over natural casings produced from sheep or hog intestines. Thus, collagen casings are of uniform diameter and strength and have a good finish. However, they do not look the same nor do they handle in the same way as natural casings. Some users prefer the appearance and feel of natural casings. However, because natural casings come in short lengths, processing costs are high, their mechanical strength may be unreliable and the use of natural casings is labour-intensive and costly.
Collagen casings are conventionally produced in the wet state and are subsequently dried prior to packaging. The dried casings have good mechanical properties in terms of tensile strength, burst strength, hoop strength and bite resistance. Whilst the conventional collagen casing in its wet state to some extent approximates natural casings, generally the mechanical properties are inadequate.
In one conventional process for producing collagen casings, acid collagen gel obtained from hide splits is extruded to form a continuous tube, hardened using ammonia and washed. The collagen gel may include a proportion of cellulose. The casing is partially dried by passing through a bath containing sodium carboxymethyl cellulose as a drying agent and glycerol as a humectant. The casing is then mechanically dried in a hot air oven before being shirred and packaged.
In another known process as disclosed in patent specifications GB 991183, U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,641 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,358, the collagen gel is extruded into a salt bath (containing for example ammonium sulphate or sodium chloride) and is then tanned using an alum bath. The wet casing is then mechanically dried.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,035 discloses extruding the collagen gel into a coagulating salt bath. The casing is then passed into a first tanning bath comprising aluminium sulphate and sodium citrate. It is then passed into a second tanning bath containing glutaraldehyde.
However, the processing conditions disclosed in these prior specifications aim at producing a collagen casing which is to be air dried prior to packaging and use. They do not address the problem of providing a wet casing of sufficient strength to be used in the wet state.
It is an object of the present invention to mitigate these problems and to provide a casing of adequate mechanical properties for use in the wet state.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a wet edible collagen casing which has been continuously formed and cross-linked, such that the casing has mechanical properties allowing the casing to be filled in its wet state, the casing being packed in its wet state ready for use.
By "wet" condition we mean that the casing has a high water content compared with conventional dried collagen casings used for sausages. Typical mechanically dried conventional casings have a water content in the region 15 to 25%. The wet collagen casing of the present invention may have a water content of 50 to 90%, preferably 70 to 90% by weight.
The collagen casing packed in its wet condition may be stored in brine and suitable additional bacteriocides may be added if required.
However, in a preferred embodiment the collagen casing is packed in its wet state (i.e. at a high moisture content) but is not surrounded by liquid. For example, the wet casing may be packed within a hermetically sealed pouch formed of a conventional material such as a plastics coated foil.
The wet casing of the present invention has mechanical properties which enable it to be filled and used in a manner analogous to natural gut. However, the present wet casing has the advantage of greater uniformity of bore, can be produced in any desired length and is generally capable of being filled at faster speeds than natural gut casings. Using the present invention speeds of at least 150 links per minute may be achieved using a
REFERENCES:
patent: 3235641 (1966-02-01), McKnight et al.
patent: 3930035 (1975-12-01), Burke et al.
Alexander Graeme Y.
Fitzpatrick Gerald P.
Morgan Trevor F.
Corbin Arthur L.
Devro Limited
LandOfFree
High moisture collagen casings does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with High moisture collagen casings, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and High moisture collagen casings will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1318938