CA1096230A - Tubular cellulosic food casing - Google Patents
Tubular cellulosic food casingInfo
- Publication number
- CA1096230A CA1096230A CA277,081A CA277081A CA1096230A CA 1096230 A CA1096230 A CA 1096230A CA 277081 A CA277081 A CA 277081A CA 1096230 A CA1096230 A CA 1096230A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- casing
- weight
- tubular
- casings
- propylene glycol
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
- A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
- A22C13/00—Sausage casings
- A22C13/0013—Chemical composition of synthetic sausage casings
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
- C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
- C08K5/00—Use of organic ingredients
- C08K5/04—Oxygen-containing compounds
- C08K5/05—Alcohols; Metal alcoholates
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
- C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
- C08K5/00—Use of organic ingredients
- C08K5/04—Oxygen-containing compounds
- C08K5/05—Alcohols; Metal alcoholates
- C08K5/053—Polyhydroxylic alcohols
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- Processing Of Meat And Fish (AREA)
- Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)
- Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)
- Containers Having Bodies Formed In One Piece (AREA)
- Wrappers (AREA)
- Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
- Jellies, Jams, And Syrups (AREA)
- General Preparation And Processing Of Foods (AREA)
- Confectionery (AREA)
Abstract
IMPROVED TUBULAR CELLULOSIC FOOD CASINGS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Large size tubular cellulosic food casings, and particularly fibrous food casings, that are provided with sufficient moisture and glycerine plasticizer content to permit the stuffing thereof without further soaking, have propylene glycol uniformly dispersed therein in an amount of at least about 15% by weight of dry cellulose and at least about 20% by weight of the liquid components in said casings.
S P E C I F I C A T I O N
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Large size tubular cellulosic food casings, and particularly fibrous food casings, that are provided with sufficient moisture and glycerine plasticizer content to permit the stuffing thereof without further soaking, have propylene glycol uniformly dispersed therein in an amount of at least about 15% by weight of dry cellulose and at least about 20% by weight of the liquid components in said casings.
S P E C I F I C A T I O N
Description
~ 6Z3~ 10831 This invention relates to improved food casings and more particularly to large tubular cellulosic food casings, particularly ibrous food casings, tha~ are suit-able for stuffing without further moisturization.
Food casings are used throughout the world in the processing of a great variety of meat and other ~ood products, such as sausages of various types, cheese rolls, turkey rolls, and ~he like. Casings that are most generally used are artificial tubular food casings prepared from regenerated cellulose and other cellulosic materials, that may be of se~eral different types and sizes to accommodate the different categories o food product to be prepared.
Tubular food casings are provided in supported or unsup-ported orm with the supported casings, which are commonly referred to as "fibrous casings"~ being prepared with a fibrous support web embedded in the wall thereo.
A common feature of most processed food products, and particularly meat products, is that the mixture of îngre-dients of which the food product is made up, commonly called an "emulsîon1', is stuffed into a casing under precsure, and processing o~ the food product is carried out while encased in the casing. The food product may also be stored and shipped whîle en~ased in the casing, though in many instances, and particularly in the case of small sausage products such as frankfurters, ~he casing is re-moved from the food product ater the processing procedures are completed.
One category of tubular ood casings is commonly referred to as "small food casings", which designation generally refers to those casings e~ployed in the prepara-tion of smalL size sausage products such as frankfurters.
~ 23 0 10831 As the name suggests, t~is type of food casing is small in stuffed diameter, generall~ ha~ing a diameter within the range of from about 15 mm ta a~out 40 mm, and is most usually supplied as thin-walled tubes of ver~ great lengt~.
For convenience in ~andling, these casings, which may be 20 to 50 met~rs in length or even longer, are shirred and com-pressed to produce w~at is commonly referred to as 'Is~irred casing sticks" of from about 20 cm to about 60 cm i~ length.
Shirring machines and ~e products thereof are shown in U,S, Patent Nos. 2,983,949 and 2,984,574 among others.
"Large size food casings" is a com~on designation for ~asings that are used in the preparation o~ generally larger food products, suc~ as salami and bologna sausages, meat loaves, cooked and smoked ham butts and the like, and that are produced in sizes ranging in stuffed diameter from about 50 mm to about 160 mm or even l~rger. In general, such casings have a greater wall t~ickness than "small size casings," and are provided with a fibrous web r~in~orce-ment embedd~d in t~e wall, though they may be prepared without such supporting medium. In most cases, large size tubular casings are supplied ta the food processor in flattened condition, cut to predetermined lengths of from about 2 feet (.6 m) to about 7 feet ~2.2 m2, but ~mproYe-men~s in shirring and packaging t~chniques and increased use o automatic stu~fing equipment is increasing the deman~ ;
for supplying large size fibrous and unsupported casings in the form of shirred sticks containing up to about 100 feet (30 m) and even more of casing.
In the preparation and use o~ arti~icial food casings, particularly small size casings formed of regen-eratPd cellulose, the moisture content of the casings is of extreme impor~ance. When small size cellulosic casings are ~ ~ 3 ~
irst formed,'it is generally necessary that they be dried to a relati~ely low water content, u~ually in the range of about 8% to 12~o ~ weight, to enable shirring operations to be carried out without damage to ~he casings. To permit ready deshirring o the comyressed, shirred casing and pre-vent tearing and breaking of ~he casing during stuffing operations, however, shirred casings having an average moisture content of between about 14% to 20% by weight are required, This relatively narrow range of moisture content is im2ortant because excessive breakage of the casing during stuffing has been found to occur at lower mois~ure contents, and greater moisture content results in excessive plasticity of the casing m2terial and overstufing.
A number of patents ~ave issued Ln recent years dealing with the problem of the moisture content of shirred small size tubular ~ood casings, and suggesting various methods for obtaining the desired moisture level and main-taining it during storage and shipping. For example7 in U.S, Patene Nos, 2,181,329 to He~itt, 3,250,629 to Turbak, and 3,471,305 to Marbach, packaging means are disclosed that will enable a plurality of shirred casing sticks of small si2e tubular casing ~o bP humidified while packaged; and in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,~22,192 to Arnold,3,616,489 to Voo et al, 3,657,769 to Martinek, 3,809,576 to Marbach et al, and 3,981,046 to Chiu9 various ~eans are disclosed for moisturi-zing generally s~all ~ize tubular food casings before or dur~ng the shirring operatlon.
Con~entionally, large size casings, whlch are generally supplied in short lengths of flattened tub~ng and 3~ are quite stiff in the dry state~ are adequately ~oftened or ~E~
~ 3 ~
stuffing operations by soaking in wa~er, preferably for about an hour Therefore, ~he need to supply such casings with a prede.termined moisture. content has not been found to be necessary, and controlled moisturiza~ion b~ the casing manu-facturer has not been warranted, However, the wider use of automatic stu~fing equipment for products employing large size tubular food casings, and t~e increased demand for supplying such casings in shirred form as compared to short, flattened lengths, has aggravated the problems of moistur-izing such casings by soaking. Moreover, the need for greater control of all aspects of t~e manufacture and use of large size food casings has been increasing? For example, t~e uniformity of dimensions of stuffed food casings and food products processed therein has become an increasingly important commeroial requirement, a~d casing moisture con-tent has been found to be a factor in control of uniformity"
as well as in meeting the continuing need to readily and economically stuff thP casings wit~out damage or breakage thereof, Providing shirred casing sticks o small slze casings, having uniforml~ distributed throughout the length thereof the relatively narrow range of moisture content that is required for stufing operations, has been more esono-mic~lly accomplished by t~e food casing manufacturer during the manufacture or packaging of the casings, and it is becoming increasingly evident that similar adv~ntages could be realized if means were developed or the casing manu-facturer to supply large size casings, both in flattened and shirred forms, that could be readily employed in casing stuffing operations, par~icularly mechanical stuffing operations, without the need for undue manual handling by the food processor, .
_5_ ~ ~ 6 Al~hough it has no~ been found necessary in th~
past to maintain the moisture content of large size food casings within a relati~el~ narrow range, somewhat higher levels of moisture content are required to af~ord the desired flexibility of such casings as compared to that required for "small size casings," and the greater amounts of water and increased weight of the casings subs~antially increases the cost of packaging and shipping. In addition, one of the problems which may be encountered during the handling and processing of such high moisture containi~g cellulosic food casings involves the growth of molds, fungi, or other microorganisms, since high mo~sture is on~ of the necessary factars for inducing such growth on cellu-losic casings, I~ is known, for example, that cellulosic food casings ha~e a critical moisture content level above which the growth of molds or fungi during periods of storage is greatl~ enhanced, Keeping the moisture content o cellulosic casings below a predetermined level, generall~
below about 20% by weight of moisture based on t~e total weight of the casing, is an efective measure that ma~ ~e taken to control the development of such grow~, However, in cases where proper control of moisture content cannot be u~ed to inhibit such grow~h, it is necessary to provide other means to inhibit the growth of molds or fungi.
Consequently, large size tubular cellulosic food casings, and particularly tubular fi~rous casings, that may be readily stuffed without damage or breakage, must be provided with moisture content levels that afford adequate flexibility and also with suitable means for inhibiting ~he growth of molds or other microorganisms during periods of shipping and extended storage.
.
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~ 3 The problem o ~old growt~ in food products due t~
the presence of nutrients t~at promote t~e growt~ of micro-organisms and cause food spoilage has been the ~asis of a number of studles over the years, ~s a result of t~ese studies, various treatments ~ave been evaluated and recom-mended, including combinations of sugars and polyh~dric alcohols 7 as rnhibitors for preventing the growth of micro-organisms that are commonly recogniz~d as being responsi-ble ~or food spoilage, However, the antimycotic treatment of cellulose food casings has presented problems due to the processing techniques employed in the preparation and stuffing of the casings. Some sugg~stions for overcoming such problems and achieYing antimycotic treatment of casings used for sausage products 7 such as dry sausages 9 have been the subject of several recently issued patents, For exampLe, in U,S. Pa~ent ~o, 3,617,312 to Rose, an anti-mycotic agen~ is applied to cellulose casings as a com-ponent of a curable, water-insoluble coating, and in U.S, Patent 3,935,320 to Chiu Pt al, cured, water~insoluble cationic thermosetting res~n coatings applied to the surfaces o casings reduce deterioration wrought by enzymatic action, The additional processing steps required for antimycotic treatment of casing with curable coating compo-sitions adds to the costs and complexity of the casing manufacturing process, and the need still exists for the development of "large size" casings that are suitable for stuffing without further soaking by the food processor, particularly when such casings can be prepared by methods 3Q that do not subs~an~ially increase the complex~ty and costs of manufac~llring and storage, ~ 3 ~
- In accordance with the present inYention there are proyided l~rge size t~uL~ ce~lulos~c food c~sings, and preferably tubular fibrous c~sings, ~a~ing sufficient moisture and gl~cerine plasticizer content to permit said food casings ta ~e readil~ stuffed ~it~ a food emulsion and ~aving propylene glycol uniformly dispersed therein in an amount of at least about 15% b~ weight of propylene gl~col based on the dry weight o~ cellulosP and preferably in an amount of at least about 20% by weight of t~e liquid com-ponents in said casings. Preferably, the tubular casings will have a moisture content of at least about 13~/o by weight based on the weight of casing and at least about 27,5% by weight based on the dry weight of cellulose in said casing.
It has been discovered that large size tubular cellulosic casings, including tubular fibrous casings, ha~ing the moisture content and propylene glycol content levels herein described, surprisingly are completeIy suitabl~ or stuffing with mechanical stuf~ing apparatus without furth~r moisturi-zation by the food processor, and such casing can be readily shipped and stored for extended periods without the growth of moLds, fungi, or other microorganisms being encountered.
There is also provided in accordance with the pre~ent invention, a method for preparing tubular food casings that are suitable for stuffing with a food emulsion, comprising t~e steps of providing a large size cellulosic food casing, and prefera-bly tubular fibrous casing, treating said casing with an amount of water suficient to penmit said food casing to be s~uffed with a ood emulsion, and treating said casing with propylene glycol i~ an amount t~at ~ill uniformly incorporate therein at least about 15% by weight of prop~lene glycol based on t~e dr~ we~ght of ceIlulose, and preferably in an amou~t o at least about 2Q% ~y ~e~g~t of the liquid 3 ~
components in said c~sin~. Pre~e~abLy, t~e ~ubular cellu-losic casing is treated wit~ an amount of an aqueous propylene glycol solution of a concentration t~at will cancurrently provide the des~red m~isture con~ent for said casing and t~e desired amount of propylene glycol.
Reference to the term "moisture content," "propy-lene glycol content," "glycerine content," "polyol content,"
as used throughout this specification and in the appended claims with respect to the ~ellulosic casings of the inven-tion, unless otherwise specified, is intended to refer to, and should be u~derstood QS referring to:
"moisture or water content" - the weig~t % of water or moisture in the casing based on the total weight of all the ingredients in the casing.
"propylene glycol content," "glycerine content,"
"polyol content" - the weight of polyol in the casing divided by dry weight of cellulose plus surface coatlng, if any, in the casing, expressed as the weight percent (%).
Further, reference to the term "weight of liquid components in the casing" should be understood as referring to the weight of the liquid ingredients in such casings including water, PO1YO1SJ and/or other soluble antimycotic agents, but excluding mineral oil and other non-miscible lubricants.
Large size tubular cellulosic food casings that are suitable for use in the casings of the present invention may be prepared by any one o~ the methods well known ~n the art~ The tubular casings are generally ~lexible, seamless tubing formed of regenerated celIulose, cellulose ethers B
g ~ 23 ~
as t~e cuprammonium, deacetylation of cellulose ace~a~e, denitration of cellulose nitrate processes and prefera~ly the viscose process, Tubular casings reinforced wit~ fibers such as, for example, r~ce pap~ and the ll~e, hemp, rayo~, flax, sisal, nylon, polyeth~lene terep~t~alate and ~e like, are mos~ advantageousl~ e~plo~ed in applications requiring large diameter ~ubular food casings. Tubular fibrous casings can be nade by methods and app~ratus described, for example, in U,S. Patent Nos. 2,105,273; 2,144,899; 2,910,380;
3,135,613; and 3,433,663.
As is well known in t~e art, tubular cellulosic casings prepared by any one of t~e well known methods are generally treated with glycerine, as a ~mectant and softe~-ing or plasticizing agent to provide resistance to drying or cracking of the casing during storage prior to stu~fing.
The glycerine treatment is usually carried out by passing the casing whil~ still in t~e gel state t~rough an aqueous glycerine solution, ater which the plasticized casing is dried to a predetermined moisture content prior to further ~0 processing or winding up on reels for storage. Generally, large size tubular casings will contain about 25% to 40%
glycerine and have a moisture content of about 5% to 10%.
Large size tubular cellulosic food casings of the invention generally require an average moisture content of at least about 13% and preferably about 17,5% by weight of casing, and at least about 27%, and preferably about 30% by weight of dry cellulose, to impart the desired 1exibility for stufing. Although the lower limit o~
casing moisture content is important, ~here is no critical upper limit and moisture content in excess of that actually required is determined generally by economic considerations.
However, casing molstur2 content greater than about 35% may 3 ~ 10831 . adversely a~fect desirable c~ar.actexistics o~ t~e casi~gs for cert~i~ applications and s~ould ~e avoided, In vie~ of t~e hig~ mois~ure con~ent necess~ry to impart des~red flexib~lity a~d othe~ stuffing c~aracteris-tics, antimycotic treatment of t~e cas m gs is essential to prevent growth of molds, fungi, or other microorganisms during storage and s~ipping, Sui~able ~ntimycotic agen~s that have been found to afford at least some degree of protection are polyhydric alco~ols t~at are normally liquid at ambient temperatures, and solutions of normally solid polyols. Exemplary agents are gl~cerine J triethyLene glycol, low molecular weight polyethylene glycols, and sorbi~o~ solu-tions, Most suitable and especially preferred are propylene glycol and mixtures of propylene glycol with glycerine.
Also suitable are chemical antimycotic agents such as, for example, potassium, sodium, and calcium pro-piona~e or sorbateS sorbic acid, propionic acid, and-the lower alkyl ~sters of parahydroxybenzoic acid such as methyl, eth~l, or propyl-para~ydroxy-benzoate.
The quantity of antimycotic agent applied to the casing is important, and generally depends on the moisture content of the casingO Propylene glycol, which is especially preferred and mos~ suitable for use as an antimycotic agent, should be employed in an amount of at least about 20% by weight of the liquid components in the casing and at least about 15% by weight of dry cellulose, while t~e upper limit ther~of is not critical and is determined mainly by economic con siderations. It has been found, howeYer, that it is necessary to use subs~antially greatex amounts of other po~lyol antimycotic agents for the particular levels of casing moisture content that impart t~é nec~ss~y flexibLlit~ and stuffing c~aracterist~cs ta c~s~ngs of the present in~ention, ~ 10~31 The amount o~ suc~ other polyol anti~ycotic agents required may be readily determined in accordancc with the teaching of t~e prese~t invention.
Pre~en~ing the grow~h of molds and fungi on cellulose casing will also provide con~rol over the growth of ~acteria and yeasts, since ~t is known t~at, in general, molds require less moistur~ for growth than yeasts and bacteria.
Tubular cellulosic food casings of t~e present invention may be prepared by applying t~e essential amounts of water and antimycatic agent to suitable "dried" tubular food casings using any one of a number of methods well known in the art. In general, casings may be treated by spraying, brushing, dipping, slugging, etc. Preferably, the casing should be treatcd with t~e desired amounts of moisture and antimyco~ic agent as flattened casing on storage reels is being made ready for packaging in short, flat lengths thereof, or is being rewound on a reel for ad-vancing through ~ s~irring mac~l~e, By proportioning the amounts of water and antimycotic agent, either individually or in combination, to t~e size of casin~s to be treated, relatively precise control of the moisture content and anti-m~cotic agent content of the casings of the invention may be attained.
In preparing the tubuIar cellulosic food casings of the present lnvention, various other materials or treatments well known in ~he art can be utilized to impart par~icular characteristics or properties to the casings provided, of course, that such material or treatment is compatible with and has no adverse e~ect on t~e food casings or the use thereo~. Among further treatment~ that may be employed are, by way of illustra~ion, coatings applied to improve peel-10~31 ~ ~ 6 Z3 ~
ability of t~e casings fro~ enc~sed food products such as disclosed ln U.S, Patent No, 2,901,358 to ~nderwoodi coatings applied for improving adhes~o~ to dry sausage products such a~ disclosed in U,S, Patent No, 3,378,379 to Shiner e~ al; coatings ~pplied to afford vapor barrier properties such as dt~sclos~d in U,S, Patent No, 3,886,979 to Rasmussen, and the like, ~oreover, ~ubular casings of the present invention may be shirred and compressed employing conventional shirring machines and methods as disclosed, ~or example, in U,S, Patent Nos. 2,984,574 to Matecki, 3,110,0S8 to Marbach, and 3,397,069 to IJrbu~is et al.
. This invention will become more clear when considered together with the following examples whic~ are set forth as being mereIy illustrative of the invention and which are not intended, in any manner, to be limitative thereof.
Example 1 . A substantial quantity of tubular ~ibrous casing having a moisture barrier coating of polyviny-lidene chIoride copolymer applied to the outside surface thereof was prepared as disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
3,886,979 to Rasmussen. The casing had an.average dry flat width of about 3.8 inches (about 97 mm) and a recommended stuffed diameter of about 2.87 inches (73 mm).
100 foot lengths of the casing were internally treated with varying amounts of aqueous propylene glycol solu~ions by the weIl kno~n "slugglng" technique and the treated lengths of casing wcre then shirred and com-pressed on a standard sh~rrlng machlne and retained ln an ~ z ~ 10831 elastic sheat~ing ~aterial. Each of the s~ples of treated and shirred casings of this Exa~ple were mounted wîthout soaking on a stuffing apparatus such as disclosed in U.S. Patent 4~017~941 to Raudys et al. and stuffed with a liver sausage emulsion to make 25 înch long sau-sa~e logs that were then water cooked. For co~parison purposes, a shirred length of barrier coated fibr~us casing that was not treated wi~h propylene glycol was soaked in water for about an hour and ~hen stufed with liver sau- -sage e~ulsion and water cooked.
SumQarized in Table 1 below are the ~o~sture and propylene glycol contents of the various casing samples of this Exa~ple and several of the measur~ents ~ade on the stufed casings. Casing Sa~ples A, B, and C were stuffed using ~he appara~us of U.S. Patent 4~01~,941, wherein the con~rol mechanis~ of such apparatus was operated ~o ~ary the location of the casing sizing ~eans and thereby provide di~eter control of the size of a stuffed casing. Sample Cas~ngs D, E, F, and Ç were stuffed with the sa~e stuffing apparatus with a fixed loca~ion of a casing sizing ~eans.
Casing Sampl~s A, B, D~ and F were all found to stuff satisfactorily and pxoduce substantially unifor~ly sized sausage producks. Casing Sample C produced sausage products wi~h "ball40ned" ends and Casing Sa~ple E exhibited an ~nacceptably large breakage rate durîng s~uffing.
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~ 10831 Example 2 A quantity of tubular fibrous cellulosic casing prepared using conventional methods and coated internally with an easy peel coating as disclosed in U.S. Patent No, 2~901,358 to Underwood was used in preparing the casing samples of this Ex~mple. The casing had an a~erage dry flat wid~h o about 6,1 inches (155 mm) and a recommended stuffing diameter of 4.59 inches (117 ~m).
The casing was treated with an aqueous propy-lene glycol solution by brushing the solu~ion on the outside surfaee of flattened casing ~hat was then fed to a standard shirring machine. Three lengths of shirred casing, each containing about ~00 feet of casing, were prepared. Each shirred length of casing was retained in an elastic sheathing material and then packaged in a polyethylene lined carton. . The casing samples were determined to have a moisture content of 21.8% based on the weight of casing and 40.9% based on the weight of dry cellulose, and to ha~e a propylene glycol content o-E
18.8% based on the weight of dry cellulo~e and 20.7%
based on the weight o liquid components.
Each of the lengths of shirred casing was s~uffed without ~oaking on stuffing apparatus such as disclosed in U.S. Patent 490179941 to Raudys et al.
A bologna type meat emulsion was used ~o make 60~inch s aus age logs that were proces s ed us ing c onvent ional methods. The bologna sausages produced had substan-tially uniform stuffed diarneters and no casing darnage or breakage occurred during the stuffing of any of the casing samples.
~16-~P
.
.
~ ~ 6 ~ 3 ~ 10831 Example 3 In this Example storage tests illustrate the effectiveness of various proportions of mold growth in-hibitory agents used to treat large size tubular cellulosic casings having various levels of moisture content.
A group of tubular casing samples were prepared with the following proportion of ingredients.
Regenerated cellulose 72.5 parts by weight Glycerine 22 parts by weight Moisture variable Mold growth inhibitors variable ~ 8 size fibrous casings, which have a recommended 8tu~fed diameter of about 4.79 inches, were used in the storage tests of this Example.
Casing samples were prepared by adding various amounts of water and mold growth inhibitors by brushing aqueous solutions thereof over the surace of the casings in the following proportions:
A first set of casing samples contained moisture 20 - levels of about 20%, 25%, 35% and 45% by weight of casing with varying propylene glycol levels. Samples at each moisture level contained propylene glycol in amounts of sbout 10%~ 15~/o~ 20%, 30%, and 40% by weight of liquid components ~ the casing.
A second set of casing samples contained casing moisture levels of about 25%, 30%, and 37.5% by weight of casing with varying potassium sorbate levels. Samples at each m~isture level contained 0.5%, 1.25%, and 2.5V/o by weight of potassium sorbate based on the weight of liquid component~.
A third set of casing samples contained casing moisture leYels of 25%, 30% and 37.5% by weight of casing with varying sodium benzoate levels. Samples at each mois-ture level contained 0~05% and 0.1% by weight of sodium benzoate based on the weight of liquid components.
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623~
Also prepared, for control purposes, were casing samples having moisture content levels of 21.0%
26.2%, 37 2%, and 59.2%, to which no mold growth in-hibitors were added.
Where possible, S0 ~oot lengths of the mois-turized and mold inhibitor treated casings were shirred and compressed to about 1 foot in length, and thus retained in an elastic sheathing material. In those instances where greater amounts of moisture and mold growth inhibitors were used, flattened casi~g samples 5 feet in flat~ened length, were prepared.
A mix~ure containing thirty-one different mold spores in a l~-sodium citrate solution was prepared using conventional aseptic procedures wi~h a concentration of about 1 to 5 million mold spores per milliliter of solution. Among the mold cultures included in the mixture were A~$~ ni~er (ATGC ~1004), Chaetonium ~
.
(ATCC #16021~, Memnon;e~la echinata (ATCC ~11973), Myroth cium verrucarla (ATCC #9095), Trichoderma iride (ATCC ~26921), and Whetzelinia sclerot-io um (ATCC #18657~, all o~ which were purchased from American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Maryland. Also included were mold spores of nine unknown cultures that were isolated from mold contamination fo~nd on various cellulosic food casings, and mold~spores of sixteeen unknown cultures that were isolated as naturally occurring air borne contaminants obtained from within casing manufac~uring sites.
The soLu~ion was employed as an inoculant in evaluating the mold growth resi~tance of the various casing samples of this Example.
~ 2 3 ~
All inoculations o~ casing samples were done by brushing several milliliters of the mold spore containing solution over a 3 inch by 6 inch area of exposed casing surface. The inoculated casing samples were then packaged in sealed polyethylene bags and stored at room temperature for extended periods of time~
After 10 weeks of aging, mold growth was visu-ally observed on the control samples without mold growth inhibitor having moisture contents of 26.2% (55% by weight based on dry cellulose) and more. The growth of mold was also observed on casing samples with moisture contents of about 35% and 45% having propylene glycol contents of 10% and 15% based on liquid components (8.2%
and 13% respectively based on the dry cellulose); on casing samples with 25% and more moisture con~ent con-taining 0.5% and 1~25% potassium sorbate; and on casing samples with 30% and more moisture content containing 0.05% and 0,1% sodium benzoate. A~ter more than 30 weeks of storage, casing samples containing at least 20% propy-lene glycol based on the liquid content of the casing anda~ least 18% based on the dry ceLlulose exhibi~ed no mold growthJ regardless of the casing moisture content, Casing samples containing 2.5% of potassium sorbate were similarly free from mold growth a~ all mois~ure content levels.
Example 4 A culture dish mold growth test was used to illustrate mold growth inhibition by various polyhydric alcohols (polyols).
~19-~ 3 ~
A convention~l potato-de~trose a~ar solution was used as the base media into which was incorporated various propoxtions of polyols~ The agar and polyol co~ponent solutions were sterilized using well known procedures and tartaric acid was added to co~bined solutions to obtain a pH o~ about 3.5 in the final agar media. The ~old culture of Exa~ple 3 was used as the inoculant in this Exa~ple.
Test solutions were prepared with glycerine propylene glycol, d-Sorbitol, triethylene glycol, Carbo-wax 300 (a registered trade~ark of Union Carbide Corpo-ration) (low ~olecular weight polyethylene glycol), and 25%/75%, 35%/65%, 4570/55% mi~ture of propylene glycol/
glycerine. The test solutions were prepared in polyol concentrations of 5%, 7~5%, 1070, 12.5%, 15%, 17.5%, 20%, 22.5%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60% by weight.
The inoculated test solu~ions were s~ored in covered dishes for seven days at ambient temperature and . were then visually observed for any growth of mold.
Propylene glycol was found to inhibit mold growth in concentrations of 15a/o or greater, whereas none of the other polyol materials exhibited mold growth inhibi~ion at less than 30% concentration. The mixtures of propy~
lene glycol and glycerine were also substantially better mold growth inhibitors than the other polyols tested, including glycerine b~ itself. The 25~/o/75% mixture ~f propyLene glycol and glycerine inhibited the growth of mold in test solution concentrations of ~S% and greater, and the 35%/65% and 45%/55% mixtures of propylene glycol and glycerine inhibited mold growth in test solution concentrations of 22.5% and greater.
-~0-
Food casings are used throughout the world in the processing of a great variety of meat and other ~ood products, such as sausages of various types, cheese rolls, turkey rolls, and ~he like. Casings that are most generally used are artificial tubular food casings prepared from regenerated cellulose and other cellulosic materials, that may be of se~eral different types and sizes to accommodate the different categories o food product to be prepared.
Tubular food casings are provided in supported or unsup-ported orm with the supported casings, which are commonly referred to as "fibrous casings"~ being prepared with a fibrous support web embedded in the wall thereo.
A common feature of most processed food products, and particularly meat products, is that the mixture of îngre-dients of which the food product is made up, commonly called an "emulsîon1', is stuffed into a casing under precsure, and processing o~ the food product is carried out while encased in the casing. The food product may also be stored and shipped whîle en~ased in the casing, though in many instances, and particularly in the case of small sausage products such as frankfurters, ~he casing is re-moved from the food product ater the processing procedures are completed.
One category of tubular ood casings is commonly referred to as "small food casings", which designation generally refers to those casings e~ployed in the prepara-tion of smalL size sausage products such as frankfurters.
~ 23 0 10831 As the name suggests, t~is type of food casing is small in stuffed diameter, generall~ ha~ing a diameter within the range of from about 15 mm ta a~out 40 mm, and is most usually supplied as thin-walled tubes of ver~ great lengt~.
For convenience in ~andling, these casings, which may be 20 to 50 met~rs in length or even longer, are shirred and com-pressed to produce w~at is commonly referred to as 'Is~irred casing sticks" of from about 20 cm to about 60 cm i~ length.
Shirring machines and ~e products thereof are shown in U,S, Patent Nos. 2,983,949 and 2,984,574 among others.
"Large size food casings" is a com~on designation for ~asings that are used in the preparation o~ generally larger food products, suc~ as salami and bologna sausages, meat loaves, cooked and smoked ham butts and the like, and that are produced in sizes ranging in stuffed diameter from about 50 mm to about 160 mm or even l~rger. In general, such casings have a greater wall t~ickness than "small size casings," and are provided with a fibrous web r~in~orce-ment embedd~d in t~e wall, though they may be prepared without such supporting medium. In most cases, large size tubular casings are supplied ta the food processor in flattened condition, cut to predetermined lengths of from about 2 feet (.6 m) to about 7 feet ~2.2 m2, but ~mproYe-men~s in shirring and packaging t~chniques and increased use o automatic stu~fing equipment is increasing the deman~ ;
for supplying large size fibrous and unsupported casings in the form of shirred sticks containing up to about 100 feet (30 m) and even more of casing.
In the preparation and use o~ arti~icial food casings, particularly small size casings formed of regen-eratPd cellulose, the moisture content of the casings is of extreme impor~ance. When small size cellulosic casings are ~ ~ 3 ~
irst formed,'it is generally necessary that they be dried to a relati~ely low water content, u~ually in the range of about 8% to 12~o ~ weight, to enable shirring operations to be carried out without damage to ~he casings. To permit ready deshirring o the comyressed, shirred casing and pre-vent tearing and breaking of ~he casing during stuffing operations, however, shirred casings having an average moisture content of between about 14% to 20% by weight are required, This relatively narrow range of moisture content is im2ortant because excessive breakage of the casing during stuffing has been found to occur at lower mois~ure contents, and greater moisture content results in excessive plasticity of the casing m2terial and overstufing.
A number of patents ~ave issued Ln recent years dealing with the problem of the moisture content of shirred small size tubular ~ood casings, and suggesting various methods for obtaining the desired moisture level and main-taining it during storage and shipping. For example7 in U.S, Patene Nos, 2,181,329 to He~itt, 3,250,629 to Turbak, and 3,471,305 to Marbach, packaging means are disclosed that will enable a plurality of shirred casing sticks of small si2e tubular casing ~o bP humidified while packaged; and in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,~22,192 to Arnold,3,616,489 to Voo et al, 3,657,769 to Martinek, 3,809,576 to Marbach et al, and 3,981,046 to Chiu9 various ~eans are disclosed for moisturi-zing generally s~all ~ize tubular food casings before or dur~ng the shirring operatlon.
Con~entionally, large size casings, whlch are generally supplied in short lengths of flattened tub~ng and 3~ are quite stiff in the dry state~ are adequately ~oftened or ~E~
~ 3 ~
stuffing operations by soaking in wa~er, preferably for about an hour Therefore, ~he need to supply such casings with a prede.termined moisture. content has not been found to be necessary, and controlled moisturiza~ion b~ the casing manu-facturer has not been warranted, However, the wider use of automatic stu~fing equipment for products employing large size tubular food casings, and t~e increased demand for supplying such casings in shirred form as compared to short, flattened lengths, has aggravated the problems of moistur-izing such casings by soaking. Moreover, the need for greater control of all aspects of t~e manufacture and use of large size food casings has been increasing? For example, t~e uniformity of dimensions of stuffed food casings and food products processed therein has become an increasingly important commeroial requirement, a~d casing moisture con-tent has been found to be a factor in control of uniformity"
as well as in meeting the continuing need to readily and economically stuff thP casings wit~out damage or breakage thereof, Providing shirred casing sticks o small slze casings, having uniforml~ distributed throughout the length thereof the relatively narrow range of moisture content that is required for stufing operations, has been more esono-mic~lly accomplished by t~e food casing manufacturer during the manufacture or packaging of the casings, and it is becoming increasingly evident that similar adv~ntages could be realized if means were developed or the casing manu-facturer to supply large size casings, both in flattened and shirred forms, that could be readily employed in casing stuffing operations, par~icularly mechanical stuffing operations, without the need for undue manual handling by the food processor, .
_5_ ~ ~ 6 Al~hough it has no~ been found necessary in th~
past to maintain the moisture content of large size food casings within a relati~el~ narrow range, somewhat higher levels of moisture content are required to af~ord the desired flexibility of such casings as compared to that required for "small size casings," and the greater amounts of water and increased weight of the casings subs~antially increases the cost of packaging and shipping. In addition, one of the problems which may be encountered during the handling and processing of such high moisture containi~g cellulosic food casings involves the growth of molds, fungi, or other microorganisms, since high mo~sture is on~ of the necessary factars for inducing such growth on cellu-losic casings, I~ is known, for example, that cellulosic food casings ha~e a critical moisture content level above which the growth of molds or fungi during periods of storage is greatl~ enhanced, Keeping the moisture content o cellulosic casings below a predetermined level, generall~
below about 20% by weight of moisture based on t~e total weight of the casing, is an efective measure that ma~ ~e taken to control the development of such grow~, However, in cases where proper control of moisture content cannot be u~ed to inhibit such grow~h, it is necessary to provide other means to inhibit the growth of molds or fungi.
Consequently, large size tubular cellulosic food casings, and particularly tubular fi~rous casings, that may be readily stuffed without damage or breakage, must be provided with moisture content levels that afford adequate flexibility and also with suitable means for inhibiting ~he growth of molds or other microorganisms during periods of shipping and extended storage.
.
-6~
~ 3 The problem o ~old growt~ in food products due t~
the presence of nutrients t~at promote t~e growt~ of micro-organisms and cause food spoilage has been the ~asis of a number of studles over the years, ~s a result of t~ese studies, various treatments ~ave been evaluated and recom-mended, including combinations of sugars and polyh~dric alcohols 7 as rnhibitors for preventing the growth of micro-organisms that are commonly recogniz~d as being responsi-ble ~or food spoilage, However, the antimycotic treatment of cellulose food casings has presented problems due to the processing techniques employed in the preparation and stuffing of the casings. Some sugg~stions for overcoming such problems and achieYing antimycotic treatment of casings used for sausage products 7 such as dry sausages 9 have been the subject of several recently issued patents, For exampLe, in U,S. Pa~ent ~o, 3,617,312 to Rose, an anti-mycotic agen~ is applied to cellulose casings as a com-ponent of a curable, water-insoluble coating, and in U.S, Patent 3,935,320 to Chiu Pt al, cured, water~insoluble cationic thermosetting res~n coatings applied to the surfaces o casings reduce deterioration wrought by enzymatic action, The additional processing steps required for antimycotic treatment of casing with curable coating compo-sitions adds to the costs and complexity of the casing manufacturing process, and the need still exists for the development of "large size" casings that are suitable for stuffing without further soaking by the food processor, particularly when such casings can be prepared by methods 3Q that do not subs~an~ially increase the complex~ty and costs of manufac~llring and storage, ~ 3 ~
- In accordance with the present inYention there are proyided l~rge size t~uL~ ce~lulos~c food c~sings, and preferably tubular fibrous c~sings, ~a~ing sufficient moisture and gl~cerine plasticizer content to permit said food casings ta ~e readil~ stuffed ~it~ a food emulsion and ~aving propylene glycol uniformly dispersed therein in an amount of at least about 15% b~ weight of propylene gl~col based on the dry weight o~ cellulosP and preferably in an amount of at least about 20% by weight of t~e liquid com-ponents in said casings. Preferably, the tubular casings will have a moisture content of at least about 13~/o by weight based on the weight of casing and at least about 27,5% by weight based on the dry weight of cellulose in said casing.
It has been discovered that large size tubular cellulosic casings, including tubular fibrous casings, ha~ing the moisture content and propylene glycol content levels herein described, surprisingly are completeIy suitabl~ or stuffing with mechanical stuf~ing apparatus without furth~r moisturi-zation by the food processor, and such casing can be readily shipped and stored for extended periods without the growth of moLds, fungi, or other microorganisms being encountered.
There is also provided in accordance with the pre~ent invention, a method for preparing tubular food casings that are suitable for stuffing with a food emulsion, comprising t~e steps of providing a large size cellulosic food casing, and prefera-bly tubular fibrous casing, treating said casing with an amount of water suficient to penmit said food casing to be s~uffed with a ood emulsion, and treating said casing with propylene glycol i~ an amount t~at ~ill uniformly incorporate therein at least about 15% by weight of prop~lene glycol based on t~e dr~ we~ght of ceIlulose, and preferably in an amou~t o at least about 2Q% ~y ~e~g~t of the liquid 3 ~
components in said c~sin~. Pre~e~abLy, t~e ~ubular cellu-losic casing is treated wit~ an amount of an aqueous propylene glycol solution of a concentration t~at will cancurrently provide the des~red m~isture con~ent for said casing and t~e desired amount of propylene glycol.
Reference to the term "moisture content," "propy-lene glycol content," "glycerine content," "polyol content,"
as used throughout this specification and in the appended claims with respect to the ~ellulosic casings of the inven-tion, unless otherwise specified, is intended to refer to, and should be u~derstood QS referring to:
"moisture or water content" - the weig~t % of water or moisture in the casing based on the total weight of all the ingredients in the casing.
"propylene glycol content," "glycerine content,"
"polyol content" - the weight of polyol in the casing divided by dry weight of cellulose plus surface coatlng, if any, in the casing, expressed as the weight percent (%).
Further, reference to the term "weight of liquid components in the casing" should be understood as referring to the weight of the liquid ingredients in such casings including water, PO1YO1SJ and/or other soluble antimycotic agents, but excluding mineral oil and other non-miscible lubricants.
Large size tubular cellulosic food casings that are suitable for use in the casings of the present invention may be prepared by any one o~ the methods well known ~n the art~ The tubular casings are generally ~lexible, seamless tubing formed of regenerated celIulose, cellulose ethers B
g ~ 23 ~
as t~e cuprammonium, deacetylation of cellulose ace~a~e, denitration of cellulose nitrate processes and prefera~ly the viscose process, Tubular casings reinforced wit~ fibers such as, for example, r~ce pap~ and the ll~e, hemp, rayo~, flax, sisal, nylon, polyeth~lene terep~t~alate and ~e like, are mos~ advantageousl~ e~plo~ed in applications requiring large diameter ~ubular food casings. Tubular fibrous casings can be nade by methods and app~ratus described, for example, in U,S. Patent Nos. 2,105,273; 2,144,899; 2,910,380;
3,135,613; and 3,433,663.
As is well known in t~e art, tubular cellulosic casings prepared by any one of t~e well known methods are generally treated with glycerine, as a ~mectant and softe~-ing or plasticizing agent to provide resistance to drying or cracking of the casing during storage prior to stu~fing.
The glycerine treatment is usually carried out by passing the casing whil~ still in t~e gel state t~rough an aqueous glycerine solution, ater which the plasticized casing is dried to a predetermined moisture content prior to further ~0 processing or winding up on reels for storage. Generally, large size tubular casings will contain about 25% to 40%
glycerine and have a moisture content of about 5% to 10%.
Large size tubular cellulosic food casings of the invention generally require an average moisture content of at least about 13% and preferably about 17,5% by weight of casing, and at least about 27%, and preferably about 30% by weight of dry cellulose, to impart the desired 1exibility for stufing. Although the lower limit o~
casing moisture content is important, ~here is no critical upper limit and moisture content in excess of that actually required is determined generally by economic considerations.
However, casing molstur2 content greater than about 35% may 3 ~ 10831 . adversely a~fect desirable c~ar.actexistics o~ t~e casi~gs for cert~i~ applications and s~ould ~e avoided, In vie~ of t~e hig~ mois~ure con~ent necess~ry to impart des~red flexib~lity a~d othe~ stuffing c~aracteris-tics, antimycotic treatment of t~e cas m gs is essential to prevent growth of molds, fungi, or other microorganisms during storage and s~ipping, Sui~able ~ntimycotic agen~s that have been found to afford at least some degree of protection are polyhydric alco~ols t~at are normally liquid at ambient temperatures, and solutions of normally solid polyols. Exemplary agents are gl~cerine J triethyLene glycol, low molecular weight polyethylene glycols, and sorbi~o~ solu-tions, Most suitable and especially preferred are propylene glycol and mixtures of propylene glycol with glycerine.
Also suitable are chemical antimycotic agents such as, for example, potassium, sodium, and calcium pro-piona~e or sorbateS sorbic acid, propionic acid, and-the lower alkyl ~sters of parahydroxybenzoic acid such as methyl, eth~l, or propyl-para~ydroxy-benzoate.
The quantity of antimycotic agent applied to the casing is important, and generally depends on the moisture content of the casingO Propylene glycol, which is especially preferred and mos~ suitable for use as an antimycotic agent, should be employed in an amount of at least about 20% by weight of the liquid components in the casing and at least about 15% by weight of dry cellulose, while t~e upper limit ther~of is not critical and is determined mainly by economic con siderations. It has been found, howeYer, that it is necessary to use subs~antially greatex amounts of other po~lyol antimycotic agents for the particular levels of casing moisture content that impart t~é nec~ss~y flexibLlit~ and stuffing c~aracterist~cs ta c~s~ngs of the present in~ention, ~ 10~31 The amount o~ suc~ other polyol anti~ycotic agents required may be readily determined in accordancc with the teaching of t~e prese~t invention.
Pre~en~ing the grow~h of molds and fungi on cellulose casing will also provide con~rol over the growth of ~acteria and yeasts, since ~t is known t~at, in general, molds require less moistur~ for growth than yeasts and bacteria.
Tubular cellulosic food casings of t~e present invention may be prepared by applying t~e essential amounts of water and antimycatic agent to suitable "dried" tubular food casings using any one of a number of methods well known in the art. In general, casings may be treated by spraying, brushing, dipping, slugging, etc. Preferably, the casing should be treatcd with t~e desired amounts of moisture and antimyco~ic agent as flattened casing on storage reels is being made ready for packaging in short, flat lengths thereof, or is being rewound on a reel for ad-vancing through ~ s~irring mac~l~e, By proportioning the amounts of water and antimycotic agent, either individually or in combination, to t~e size of casin~s to be treated, relatively precise control of the moisture content and anti-m~cotic agent content of the casings of the invention may be attained.
In preparing the tubuIar cellulosic food casings of the present lnvention, various other materials or treatments well known in ~he art can be utilized to impart par~icular characteristics or properties to the casings provided, of course, that such material or treatment is compatible with and has no adverse e~ect on t~e food casings or the use thereo~. Among further treatment~ that may be employed are, by way of illustra~ion, coatings applied to improve peel-10~31 ~ ~ 6 Z3 ~
ability of t~e casings fro~ enc~sed food products such as disclosed ln U.S, Patent No, 2,901,358 to ~nderwoodi coatings applied for improving adhes~o~ to dry sausage products such a~ disclosed in U,S, Patent No, 3,378,379 to Shiner e~ al; coatings ~pplied to afford vapor barrier properties such as dt~sclos~d in U,S, Patent No, 3,886,979 to Rasmussen, and the like, ~oreover, ~ubular casings of the present invention may be shirred and compressed employing conventional shirring machines and methods as disclosed, ~or example, in U,S, Patent Nos. 2,984,574 to Matecki, 3,110,0S8 to Marbach, and 3,397,069 to IJrbu~is et al.
. This invention will become more clear when considered together with the following examples whic~ are set forth as being mereIy illustrative of the invention and which are not intended, in any manner, to be limitative thereof.
Example 1 . A substantial quantity of tubular ~ibrous casing having a moisture barrier coating of polyviny-lidene chIoride copolymer applied to the outside surface thereof was prepared as disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
3,886,979 to Rasmussen. The casing had an.average dry flat width of about 3.8 inches (about 97 mm) and a recommended stuffed diameter of about 2.87 inches (73 mm).
100 foot lengths of the casing were internally treated with varying amounts of aqueous propylene glycol solu~ions by the weIl kno~n "slugglng" technique and the treated lengths of casing wcre then shirred and com-pressed on a standard sh~rrlng machlne and retained ln an ~ z ~ 10831 elastic sheat~ing ~aterial. Each of the s~ples of treated and shirred casings of this Exa~ple were mounted wîthout soaking on a stuffing apparatus such as disclosed in U.S. Patent 4~017~941 to Raudys et al. and stuffed with a liver sausage emulsion to make 25 înch long sau-sa~e logs that were then water cooked. For co~parison purposes, a shirred length of barrier coated fibr~us casing that was not treated wi~h propylene glycol was soaked in water for about an hour and ~hen stufed with liver sau- -sage e~ulsion and water cooked.
SumQarized in Table 1 below are the ~o~sture and propylene glycol contents of the various casing samples of this Exa~ple and several of the measur~ents ~ade on the stufed casings. Casing Sa~ples A, B, and C were stuffed using ~he appara~us of U.S. Patent 4~01~,941, wherein the con~rol mechanis~ of such apparatus was operated ~o ~ary the location of the casing sizing ~eans and thereby provide di~eter control of the size of a stuffed casing. Sample Cas~ngs D, E, F, and Ç were stuffed with the sa~e stuffing apparatus with a fixed loca~ion of a casing sizing ~eans.
Casing Sampl~s A, B, D~ and F were all found to stuff satisfactorily and pxoduce substantially unifor~ly sized sausage producks. Casing Sample C produced sausage products wi~h "ball40ned" ends and Casing Sa~ple E exhibited an ~nacceptably large breakage rate durîng s~uffing.
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~ 10831 Example 2 A quantity of tubular fibrous cellulosic casing prepared using conventional methods and coated internally with an easy peel coating as disclosed in U.S. Patent No, 2~901,358 to Underwood was used in preparing the casing samples of this Ex~mple. The casing had an a~erage dry flat wid~h o about 6,1 inches (155 mm) and a recommended stuffing diameter of 4.59 inches (117 ~m).
The casing was treated with an aqueous propy-lene glycol solution by brushing the solu~ion on the outside surfaee of flattened casing ~hat was then fed to a standard shirring machine. Three lengths of shirred casing, each containing about ~00 feet of casing, were prepared. Each shirred length of casing was retained in an elastic sheathing material and then packaged in a polyethylene lined carton. . The casing samples were determined to have a moisture content of 21.8% based on the weight of casing and 40.9% based on the weight of dry cellulose, and to ha~e a propylene glycol content o-E
18.8% based on the weight of dry cellulo~e and 20.7%
based on the weight o liquid components.
Each of the lengths of shirred casing was s~uffed without ~oaking on stuffing apparatus such as disclosed in U.S. Patent 490179941 to Raudys et al.
A bologna type meat emulsion was used ~o make 60~inch s aus age logs that were proces s ed us ing c onvent ional methods. The bologna sausages produced had substan-tially uniform stuffed diarneters and no casing darnage or breakage occurred during the stuffing of any of the casing samples.
~16-~P
.
.
~ ~ 6 ~ 3 ~ 10831 Example 3 In this Example storage tests illustrate the effectiveness of various proportions of mold growth in-hibitory agents used to treat large size tubular cellulosic casings having various levels of moisture content.
A group of tubular casing samples were prepared with the following proportion of ingredients.
Regenerated cellulose 72.5 parts by weight Glycerine 22 parts by weight Moisture variable Mold growth inhibitors variable ~ 8 size fibrous casings, which have a recommended 8tu~fed diameter of about 4.79 inches, were used in the storage tests of this Example.
Casing samples were prepared by adding various amounts of water and mold growth inhibitors by brushing aqueous solutions thereof over the surace of the casings in the following proportions:
A first set of casing samples contained moisture 20 - levels of about 20%, 25%, 35% and 45% by weight of casing with varying propylene glycol levels. Samples at each moisture level contained propylene glycol in amounts of sbout 10%~ 15~/o~ 20%, 30%, and 40% by weight of liquid components ~ the casing.
A second set of casing samples contained casing moisture levels of about 25%, 30%, and 37.5% by weight of casing with varying potassium sorbate levels. Samples at each m~isture level contained 0.5%, 1.25%, and 2.5V/o by weight of potassium sorbate based on the weight of liquid component~.
A third set of casing samples contained casing moisture leYels of 25%, 30% and 37.5% by weight of casing with varying sodium benzoate levels. Samples at each mois-ture level contained 0~05% and 0.1% by weight of sodium benzoate based on the weight of liquid components.
-17~
623~
Also prepared, for control purposes, were casing samples having moisture content levels of 21.0%
26.2%, 37 2%, and 59.2%, to which no mold growth in-hibitors were added.
Where possible, S0 ~oot lengths of the mois-turized and mold inhibitor treated casings were shirred and compressed to about 1 foot in length, and thus retained in an elastic sheathing material. In those instances where greater amounts of moisture and mold growth inhibitors were used, flattened casi~g samples 5 feet in flat~ened length, were prepared.
A mix~ure containing thirty-one different mold spores in a l~-sodium citrate solution was prepared using conventional aseptic procedures wi~h a concentration of about 1 to 5 million mold spores per milliliter of solution. Among the mold cultures included in the mixture were A~$~ ni~er (ATGC ~1004), Chaetonium ~
.
(ATCC #16021~, Memnon;e~la echinata (ATCC ~11973), Myroth cium verrucarla (ATCC #9095), Trichoderma iride (ATCC ~26921), and Whetzelinia sclerot-io um (ATCC #18657~, all o~ which were purchased from American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Maryland. Also included were mold spores of nine unknown cultures that were isolated from mold contamination fo~nd on various cellulosic food casings, and mold~spores of sixteeen unknown cultures that were isolated as naturally occurring air borne contaminants obtained from within casing manufac~uring sites.
The soLu~ion was employed as an inoculant in evaluating the mold growth resi~tance of the various casing samples of this Example.
~ 2 3 ~
All inoculations o~ casing samples were done by brushing several milliliters of the mold spore containing solution over a 3 inch by 6 inch area of exposed casing surface. The inoculated casing samples were then packaged in sealed polyethylene bags and stored at room temperature for extended periods of time~
After 10 weeks of aging, mold growth was visu-ally observed on the control samples without mold growth inhibitor having moisture contents of 26.2% (55% by weight based on dry cellulose) and more. The growth of mold was also observed on casing samples with moisture contents of about 35% and 45% having propylene glycol contents of 10% and 15% based on liquid components (8.2%
and 13% respectively based on the dry cellulose); on casing samples with 25% and more moisture con~ent con-taining 0.5% and 1~25% potassium sorbate; and on casing samples with 30% and more moisture content containing 0.05% and 0,1% sodium benzoate. A~ter more than 30 weeks of storage, casing samples containing at least 20% propy-lene glycol based on the liquid content of the casing anda~ least 18% based on the dry ceLlulose exhibi~ed no mold growthJ regardless of the casing moisture content, Casing samples containing 2.5% of potassium sorbate were similarly free from mold growth a~ all mois~ure content levels.
Example 4 A culture dish mold growth test was used to illustrate mold growth inhibition by various polyhydric alcohols (polyols).
~19-~ 3 ~
A convention~l potato-de~trose a~ar solution was used as the base media into which was incorporated various propoxtions of polyols~ The agar and polyol co~ponent solutions were sterilized using well known procedures and tartaric acid was added to co~bined solutions to obtain a pH o~ about 3.5 in the final agar media. The ~old culture of Exa~ple 3 was used as the inoculant in this Exa~ple.
Test solutions were prepared with glycerine propylene glycol, d-Sorbitol, triethylene glycol, Carbo-wax 300 (a registered trade~ark of Union Carbide Corpo-ration) (low ~olecular weight polyethylene glycol), and 25%/75%, 35%/65%, 4570/55% mi~ture of propylene glycol/
glycerine. The test solutions were prepared in polyol concentrations of 5%, 7~5%, 1070, 12.5%, 15%, 17.5%, 20%, 22.5%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60% by weight.
The inoculated test solu~ions were s~ored in covered dishes for seven days at ambient temperature and . were then visually observed for any growth of mold.
Propylene glycol was found to inhibit mold growth in concentrations of 15a/o or greater, whereas none of the other polyol materials exhibited mold growth inhibi~ion at less than 30% concentration. The mixtures of propy~
lene glycol and glycerine were also substantially better mold growth inhibitors than the other polyols tested, including glycerine b~ itself. The 25~/o/75% mixture ~f propyLene glycol and glycerine inhibited the growth of mold in test solution concentrations of ~S% and greater, and the 35%/65% and 45%/55% mixtures of propylene glycol and glycerine inhibited mold growth in test solution concentrations of 22.5% and greater.
-~0-
Claims (9)
1. A large size tubular cellulosic food casing suitable for stuffing without soaking comprising a tubular cellulosic food casing that is provided with sufficient mosisture and glycerine plasticizer content to permit the food casing to be readily stuffed with a food emulsion, said moisture being at least about 13% by weight of casing and at least about 27% by weight based on dry cellulose in the casing, and having propylene glycol uniformly persed therein in an amount of at least about 15% by weight of dry cellulose and at least about 20% by weight of the liquid components in said casing.
2. The tubular casing as claimed in claim 1 having a moisture content of at least about 13% by weight of casing and at least about 27% by weight based on dry cellulose.
3. The tubular casing as claimed in claim 1 having a moisture content up to about 35% by weight of casing.
4. The tubular casing as claimed in claim 1 having a fibrous web embedded in the wall thereof.
5. The tubular casing as claimed in claim 1 wherein a continuous length of said tubular casing is shirred and compressed into a shortened length thereof.
6. The tubular casing as claimed in clam 1 comprising a coating adhered to a surface thereof.
7. The method of preparing a large size tubular cellulosic food casing that is suitable for stuffing with a food emulsion without soaking comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a tubular cellulosic food casing having a glycerine plasticizer uniformly incorporated in the wall thereof;
(b) treating said tubular casing with water in an amount to impart sufficient to provide a moisture content of at least about 13% by weight of casing and at least about 27% by weight based on dry cellulose in said casing; and (c) treating said tubular casing with an amount of propylene glycol sufficient to uniformly in-corporate therein propylene glycol in an amount of at least about 15% by weight of propylene glycol based on the dry cellulose and at least about 20% by weight of propylene glycol based on the liquid components in said casing.
(a) providing a tubular cellulosic food casing having a glycerine plasticizer uniformly incorporated in the wall thereof;
(b) treating said tubular casing with water in an amount to impart sufficient to provide a moisture content of at least about 13% by weight of casing and at least about 27% by weight based on dry cellulose in said casing; and (c) treating said tubular casing with an amount of propylene glycol sufficient to uniformly in-corporate therein propylene glycol in an amount of at least about 15% by weight of propylene glycol based on the dry cellulose and at least about 20% by weight of propylene glycol based on the liquid components in said casing.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said tubular casing is concurrently treated with water and propylene glycol by treating said casing with an aqueous solution of propylene glycol.
9. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said tubular casing is treated while in flattened con-dition.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US68624876A | 1976-05-13 | 1976-05-13 | |
| US686,248 | 1976-05-13 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1096230A true CA1096230A (en) | 1981-02-24 |
Family
ID=24755548
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA277,081A Expired CA1096230A (en) | 1976-05-13 | 1977-04-25 | Tubular cellulosic food casing |
Country Status (21)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS52139578A (en) |
| AR (1) | AR216764A1 (en) |
| AT (1) | AT363770B (en) |
| AU (1) | AU522188B2 (en) |
| BE (1) | BE854566A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1096230A (en) |
| CH (2) | CH616565A5 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2721427C2 (en) |
| DK (1) | DK152682C (en) |
| ES (1) | ES458739A1 (en) |
| FI (1) | FI62757C (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2351025A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1584435A (en) |
| IE (1) | IE45499B1 (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1085136B (en) |
| MX (1) | MX4462E (en) |
| NL (1) | NL181277C (en) |
| NO (1) | NO152991C (en) |
| NZ (1) | NZ184083A (en) |
| SE (1) | SE432863C (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA772841B (en) |
Families Citing this family (14)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA1096230A (en) * | 1976-05-13 | 1981-02-24 | David E. Ellis | Tubular cellulosic food casing |
| FI63661B (en) * | 1976-10-15 | 1983-04-29 | Union Carbide Corp | STORT UTAN BLOETNING FYLLBART CELLULOSAHOELJE FOER FOEDOAEMNEN |
| FI780226A (en) * | 1977-01-27 | 1978-07-28 | Union Carbide Corp | PAO FOERHAND FUKTAT CELLULOSAHOELJE |
| CA1170494A (en) * | 1980-03-13 | 1984-07-10 | David E. Ellis | Controllably moisturized mold resistant cellulosic food casing |
| US4409251A (en) * | 1982-03-25 | 1983-10-11 | Union Carbide Corporation | Controllably moisturized mold resistant cellulosic food casings |
| DE3228514A1 (en) * | 1982-07-30 | 1984-02-02 | Hoechst Ag, 6230 Frankfurt | EASILY SEALABLE SAUSAGE SLEEVE WITH A STITCH SEAM, METHOD FOR THEIR PRODUCTION AND THEIR USE |
| DE3240847A1 (en) * | 1982-11-05 | 1984-05-10 | Hoechst Ag, 6230 Frankfurt | Foodstuff casing made of cellulose hydrate having a coating acting as a long-term fungicide |
| US4664861A (en) * | 1985-02-04 | 1987-05-12 | Teepak, Inc. | Method for making preserved, high moisture, ready-to-stuff food casings |
| US4874622A (en) * | 1987-07-01 | 1989-10-17 | Viskase Corporation | Spice-odor antimycotic containing cellulosic casing article |
| BE1000920A4 (en) * | 1987-09-25 | 1989-05-16 | Viskase Corp | Flat stock fibrous cellulosic food casings - contg. low levels of plasticiser which includes a poly:ol |
| DE10031045A1 (en) * | 2000-06-26 | 2002-02-07 | Wolff Walsrode Ag | Tubular food casing |
| DE102010009852A1 (en) | 2010-03-02 | 2011-09-08 | Kalle Gmbh | Antimicrobial finished films, sponges and sponge cloths |
| EP2604121A1 (en) | 2011-12-14 | 2013-06-19 | CaseTech GmbH | Food casing on the basis of cellulose with fungicidal characteristics and method for protecting food casings on the basis of cellulose from mould |
| DE102013014301B4 (en) | 2013-08-29 | 2016-03-03 | Case Tech Gmbh | Food casing with biocidal equipment and method for its production |
Family Cites Families (15)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA902421A (en) * | 1972-06-13 | F. Turbak Albin | Inhibiting fungus growth on collagen sausage casings | |
| CA493644A (en) * | 1953-06-16 | British Canadian Casings (1952) Ltd. | Preserving and packing sausage casings | |
| DE499894C (en) * | 1928-10-13 | 1930-06-19 | Kalle & Co Akt Ges | Method for pulling cellulose tubes for sausage casings onto bars |
| DE566121C (en) * | 1931-04-30 | 1932-12-10 | Kalle & Co Akt Ges | Process for the treatment of artificial guts made from regenerated cellulose |
| US1886203A (en) * | 1931-06-16 | 1932-11-01 | Lavoie Alexis | Animal trap |
| US3202514A (en) * | 1963-07-15 | 1965-08-24 | Gen Foods Corp | Animal food and method of making the same |
| NL130708C (en) * | 1963-06-14 | |||
| USRE28281E (en) * | 1965-11-22 | 1974-12-24 | Method op coating the interior op a sausage casing | |
| US3809576A (en) * | 1967-05-10 | 1974-05-07 | Union Carbide Corp | Method and apparatus for moisturizing shirred casing sticks |
| US3617312A (en) * | 1968-07-18 | 1971-11-02 | Tee Pak Inc | Antimycotic overcoating treatment of cellulose sausage casing |
| US3884270A (en) * | 1969-01-06 | 1975-05-20 | Union Carbide Corp | Method for producing flexible regenerated cellulosic tubing and the tubing obtained therefrom |
| US3981046A (en) * | 1972-05-05 | 1976-09-21 | Union Carbide Corporation | Process for production of shirred moisturized food casings |
| US3886979A (en) * | 1972-08-01 | 1975-06-03 | Union Carbide Corp | Shirred tubular food casings having a barrier coating |
| CA1096230A (en) * | 1976-05-13 | 1981-02-24 | David E. Ellis | Tubular cellulosic food casing |
| US4409251A (en) * | 1982-03-25 | 1983-10-11 | Union Carbide Corporation | Controllably moisturized mold resistant cellulosic food casings |
-
1977
- 1977-04-25 CA CA277,081A patent/CA1096230A/en not_active Expired
- 1977-05-12 NL NLAANVRAGE7705274,A patent/NL181277C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1977-05-12 ZA ZA00772841A patent/ZA772841B/en unknown
- 1977-05-12 AU AU25095/77A patent/AU522188B2/en not_active Expired
- 1977-05-12 NO NO771681A patent/NO152991C/en unknown
- 1977-05-12 IT IT23492/77A patent/IT1085136B/en active
- 1977-05-12 DK DK209077AA patent/DK152682C/en active
- 1977-05-12 CH CH596777A patent/CH616565A5/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1977-05-12 MX MX775733U patent/MX4462E/en unknown
- 1977-05-12 AT AT0340677A patent/AT363770B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1977-05-12 JP JP5379677A patent/JPS52139578A/en active Granted
- 1977-05-12 FI FI771505A patent/FI62757C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1977-05-12 NZ NZ184083A patent/NZ184083A/en unknown
- 1977-05-12 ES ES458739A patent/ES458739A1/en not_active Expired
- 1977-05-12 DE DE2721427A patent/DE2721427C2/en not_active Expired
- 1977-05-12 GB GB19922/77A patent/GB1584435A/en not_active Expired
- 1977-05-12 IE IE973/77A patent/IE45499B1/en unknown
- 1977-05-12 SE SE7705586A patent/SE432863C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1977-05-12 FR FR7714569A patent/FR2351025A1/en active Granted
- 1977-05-12 BE BE177523A patent/BE854566A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1977-05-12 AR AR267602A patent/AR216764A1/en active
-
1979
- 1979-10-03 CH CH891779A patent/CH618325A5/en not_active IP Right Cessation
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