Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Hollow or container type article – Flexible food casing
Patent
1995-10-31
1998-01-27
Choi, Kathleen
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Hollow or container type article
Flexible food casing
428 361, 1381181, 138123, 138124, 66178R, 66201, 66202, B65D 8134, A22C 1300
Patent
active
057120072
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application is a 371 national stage application of PCT/AU94/00076 filed Feb. 18, 1994.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved tubular casing for food products, and in particular relates to a tubular casing which will produce a desired quilted-like surface pattern to the surface of the respective food product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the following description, the terms "casing", food product" and "netting" shall have the following meanings: of food products such as meat products. fresh or processed meat products. netting whether elasticated, rigid or laterally extendable.
In the manufacture of food products, and in particular in respect of the manufacture of meat products, natural or artificial casings in the form of elongated tubes are normally either pumped full of meat from a machine specifically designed for the purpose, or have portions of meat placed within the tube prior to either a cooking or curing process.
Machines which deal with minced meat product normally comprises a feed mechanism for injecting meat through a delivery tube or injection horn, where the casing is shirred onto the external surface of the delivery tube. A clip or other closure means is placed over the ends of the casing, and a quantity of meat is then injected into the casing.
Depending upon desired length of the meat product, the process is interrupted at various stages so that clips or twists may be applied so as to separate the meat product into individual portions.
In addition, whole meat portions may likewise be inserted within the tubular casing, and in this instance, stuffing tubes or horns are also used which enable the tubular casing to be stretched, whereupon meat portions can be readily introduced within the tubular casing.
It is normal to make use of artificial skins such as collagen based casings or fibrous casings and such casings are produced in a variety of wall thickness, and the production rate, injection pressure and forces applied will determine the thickness of the casing that is used.
The thinner walled casings are generally unsatisfactory for high production rate machines. These machines operate at much higher injection pressures, and thinner casings will split at higher pressures.
However, as the thicker walled casings are much more expensive, there is a tendency to use the thinner walled casings and to reduce the injection pressure and therefore production rate of the injection machinery. Although there is a reduced costs in consumables, there is also a correspondingly lower production rate.
Therefore, it is one object of the present invention to provide an improved casing which overcomes the abovementioned problems, and which provides a casing capable of withstanding higher production rate injection pressures.
In addition to the use of plain collagen type tubular casings, it is also common to make use of additional netting that is placed over the outside surface of the collagen once the food product is located within the casing.
In many instances, the netting is used purely for a decorative effect and remains in place prior to consumption of the food product. In addition to providing a decorative effect, the netting, if properly sized, can be used to produce a surfaced patterning effect. In this instance, the longitudinal and circumferential members of the net apply a force to the surface of the meat product, and provided that the surface of the food product is sufficiently pliable, then the netting will protrude into the surface of the food product. This results in a quilt-like surface pattern, where the circumferential and longitudinal members are depressed within the surface of the food product, and where the food product bulges outwardly between the longitudinal and circumferential members.
In many cases, the provision for a quilted surface pattern is a very desirable effect, even in the case where the tubular casing is removed after the cooking or curing phase. In these instances, it is desirable for the tubular casing to pull cleanly away from the surface of
REFERENCES:
patent: 2289302 (1942-07-01), Bradshaw
patent: 5413148 (1995-05-01), Mintz et al.
Fairchild's Dictionary of Textiles. Ed. by Dr. I.B. Wingate, Fairchild Publications, New York, 1959.
The English translated document of C4 662543.
Introductory Textile Science by M.L. Joseph, 5th edition Holt, Reinhat and Winston, New York pp. 242-244.
Fairchild's Dictionary of Textiles, ed. by Wingate Fairchild Publication, Inc., New York pp. 602-603.
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