CH619115A5 - Method for wetting and pleating the casings of artificial sausages - Google Patents

Abstract

Before pleating the casing, it is moistened by applying onto its internal wall a mixture of water and from 0.5 to 5 % of a surfactant with lubricating properties, in a quantity sufficient to deposit on the casing from 0.002 to 0.02 mg of surfactant per cm<2>. This treatment reduces the defects caused during pleating and decreases the risk of the casing breaking during stuffing.

Description

The present invention now relates to a method for wetting and pleating an artificial sausage casing according to which, before pleating on a pleating machine, the casing is moistened by applying a mixture of water and from 0.5 to 5 % of a surfactant with lubricating properties, on the inner wall of the hose, in an amount sufficient to deposit the surfactant in an amount of 0.002 to 0.02 mg / cm2 of hose.

This process produces artificial sausage casings with fewer defects caused by the pleating mandrel, fewer needle holes and greater elasticity, reducing the risk of breakage during filling. The casings thus moistened can be pleated on usual machines without the risk of jamming, as is often seen when aqueous emulsions of mineral or vegetable oils are used. The present method also provides casings with a substantially uniform moisture content which does not increase when the casing is unwound, that is to say when it is released from its compact form.

By the term artificial sausage casing is meant, in the context of the present invention, synthetic casings made of regenerated cellulose, fibrous casings such as those prepared by the formation of a paper tube made of long hemp fibers, followed by a impregnation, both inside and out, with viscose and regenerated cellulose, as well as synthetic casings made from collagen, amylose, starch or alginates.

The humidifying fluid for wetting the casings is an essentially homogeneous mixture which consists of water and a surfactant dispersible in water and having lubricating properties. This latter expression covers the surface-active agents which are absorbed by the surface of the wall of the hose so that, when the hose passes over the pleating mandrel, the shear forces are absorbed, at least essentially, by the surfactant. If this agent does not have sufficient lubricating properties, the hose tends to stick or adhere to the pleating mandrel and cause the machine to jam. This latter accident should not occur in practice more often than once in 10 reels, which corresponds to a length of around 16,000 to 20,000 m, so as not to prejudicially hamper production.

The surfactant must be dispersible in water by simple stirring and in the absence of emulsifying agents. It must also form a stable dispersion for at least 4 h when the dispersion in water is carried out without stirring. As noted above, aqueous emulsions of lubricating oils have been used to lubricate the inner wall of synthetic sausage casings to slide the casing over the mandrel, but these oily lubricants tend to delay wetting of the casing

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by water, due to the fact that they neither dissolve nor disperse in water. It is necessary to wet the hose during the short time interval between contact with the aqueous spray and contact with the pleating rollers, in order to avoid damage to the hose.

The water-dispersible surfactants used according to the invention not only increase the soaking and spreading leading to rapid wetting of the hose, but also form a thin and uniform layer of lubricant on the surface of the hose which easily slides over the pleating chuck. The lubricating surfactant does not delay soaking, as is the case with lubricants that are not dispersible in water.

The lubricating surfactant is used in the wetting fluid in a proportion of between 0.5 and 5% by weight of fluid. If a proportion of lubricating surfactant is used which is less than approximately 0.5% by weight, the surface does not receive enough surfactant to obtain sufficient lubrication of the hose when it passes over the pleating mandrel. This characteristic is distinguished from the prior art because, according to the latter, the surface-active agents are added to the water and sprayed on the internal wall of the hose in a proportion of approximately 1/20 and even often of approximately 1 / 40 of the quantity necessary to obtain the degree of lubrication allowing the pleating operation, despite the fact that a soaking is carried out.

Most of the surfactant used according to the prior art, however, serves to improve the wetting of the hose, i.e. the penetration of water into the wall of the hose and not the lubrication .

When the proportion of lubricating surfactant exceeds by approximately 5% the weight of the wetting fluid, it is found that the hose tends to be loaded with too large a quantity of surfactant at the appropriate degree of wetting. This can lead to enlargement of the pleated hose strip, or it may lose its consistency. The term magnification means that the strip does not keep its compact shape and expands after unwinding. The folds do not adhere strongly and the strip can be inconsistent, that is to say that the folds do not adhere to each other and are difficult to handle without breaking. Broken tapes cannot be used on fast filling machines.

In the practice of the invention, a partial ester of sorbitol with a fatty acid, and in particular sorbitan trioleate, is preferred as lubricating surfactant. The latter is a nonionic surfactant in the form of a relatively viscous oily liquid dispersible in water, although it is insoluble therein. Applied in combination with water in a proportion of between 0.5 and 5% by weight, and preferably between 0.8 and 1.5%, on the inner wall of the hose, it spreads over it in amounts between 0.002 and 0.02 mg / cm2. For this level of surfactant, the casing has excellent physical properties. With the aid of sorbitan trioleate, casings are obtained which have fewer fine holes and a higher breaking strength such as has never been obtained by a process which is advantageous from the commercial point of view. Another advantage of sorbitan trioleate is that it has lubricating qualities such that the frequency of cases of jamming on the machine for pleating sausage casings is less than approximately one case per 16,000 to 20,000 m of casing. This rate is essentially lower than that obtained in the case of casings wetted with water through the pleating mandrel using an aqueous emulsion of a mineral or vegetable oil as a lubricant.

Another advantage of using sorbitan trioleate is that this surfactant improves the wetting of the hose, which leads to excellent flexibility as the hose passes through the pleating machine. The result is that the compacting of the hose by the formation of a large number of folds does not favor the development of fine holes. It can be seen that the number of such holes is remarkably small in the hoses described above. In addition, this hose shows no tendency

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at magnification after pleating. Thus the pleated strip can be handled without risk of breakage.

Although excellent results are obtained by spraying a mixture of water and surfactant, and in particular sorbitan trioleate, on the internal wall, it is sometimes advantageous to add a complementary lubricant to the draft during pleating. Lubricants can also be sprayed onto the outer surface to reduce wear on the pleating rollers. Conventional lubricants for this use are mineral or vegetable oils mixed with acetylated monoglycerides and polyoxyethylene monoesters, such as polyoxyethylene 400 monostearate.

It has been found that it is particularly advantageous, when pleating collagen casings, to include a partial ester of glycerin with a fatty acid in the wetting liquid containing the partial ester of sorbitol with an acid. bold. The inclusion of the glycerol ester with a fatty acid in the wetting fluid significantly reduces torsional breakage when the hoses are used in the filling apparatus. If, during the manufacture of sausage strings, consisting of filling the hose and twisting it at regular intervals, the hose is not sufficiently wet, the shoulder part of the hose filled with flesh may tear at the moment where we twist it. The number of such tears (break in torsion) must not exceed a rate of 2 to 3%, a higher figure making the hose unusable.

By using a mixture of the partial esters of glycerol and sorbitol with a fatty acid, one obtains casings of synthetic sausages moistened from collagen coming from animal remains, which have a greater elasticity and thus resist the phenomenon better of torsional failure described above.

Partial esters of oleic acid and glycerol are particularly useful in the context of the present invention and are commercially available in the form of mixtures of mono- and diglycerides manufactured by the company Glidden-Durkee, Division SCM, under the GMO brand. This mixture is composed of 55% by weight of oleic acid monoglyceride and 35% of oleic acid diglyceride, the remainder being essentially oleic acid triglyceride.

The partial esters of glycerol and of a fatty acid must be present in the aqueous wetting fluid in a concentration greater than 0.1% by weight. As will be described in more detail below, the incorporation of 0.1% by weight of the partial fatty ester of glycerol in the wetting fluid results in an undesirable increase in torsional rupture during the filling of the collagen casing . In general, the amount of the partial fatty ester of glycerol incorporated into the wetting medium must be between 0.12 and 1.0% by weight. Although concentrations of partial fatty ester of glycerol greater than 1% by weight can be incorporated into the wetting fluid, such excesses do little to improve the resistance of the collagen casing during filling and chaining operations on the machine to make sausages. When the concentration of the glycerol partial fatty ester in the wetting medium is between 0.15 and 1.0% by weight during the application to the internal walls of the casing during the pleating of a normal band of collagen, this concentration range provides 0.0012 to 0.012 mg of glycerol ester per cm2 of hose surface.

The fatty ester of sorbitan (for example sorbitan trioleate) of the mixture of fatty esters is present in the wetting liquid in a proportion of between approximately 0.5 and 2% by weight, and preferably between 0.8 and 1 , 5% by weight. Approximately, it can be said that when the proportion of the mixture of glycerol mono- and diester in the wetting liquid is reduced towards the lower limit, for example up to 0.2% by weight, the proportion of partial fatty ester sorbitan is increased towards the upper limit. In the same way, when the proportion of partial fatty ester of sorbitan, for example sorbid trioleate

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tan, is lowered towards the lower limit, for example up to 0.5%, the proportion of mixed glycerol ester is increased towards the upper limit, for example up to 1%. The sorbitan ester is applied to the internal walls in amounts of between 0.005 and 0.012 mg per cm2 of casing surface.

The wetting fluid of the present invention must be applied to the hose before pleating and several methods are suitable for doing so. One of the best ways to introduce the wetting fluid inside the synthetic casings before pleating is to do it during this pleating operation. The apparatus described in US Patent No. 3451827 is suitable for humidifying the hose before pleating. This device has a spraying system for depositing the wetting fluid on the inner wall of the hose immediately before the hose contacts the pleating rollers of the device.

The invention is described in more detail in the nonlimiting examples below. The percentages are given by weight.

Example 1:

The use of the apparatus described in US Patent No. 3451827 makes it possible to humidify and lubricate practically simultaneously casings of artificial sausages made of regenerated cellulose during the pleating operation. Although this type of device is preferred due to the fact that it includes a system for spraying the fluid onto the internal wall of the hose, other devices for introducing the wetting fluid in the form of a thin coating on the inner wall of the hose during pleating can be used.

Six wetting liquids are prepared by dispersion in water of respectively 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 5% and 10% of sorbitan trioleate. The apparatus is supplied from flattened hose storage coils made of dry regenerated cellulose, that is to say having a water content of 10%, with a diameter of 24 mm and a wall thickness d '' about 0.03 mm; the hose passes over a pleating mandrel and pleating is carried out. When passing over the mandrel, the internal wall is brought into contact with a fine spraying of the liquid described above. About 0.4 mg of wetting liquid per cm2 of hose is applied to each hose. Each pleated band of hose contains 35.5 m of hose and has about 0.001 mg to about 0.04 mg of sorbitan trioleate per cm2 of hose. The moisture content of the hose is approximately 18 + 2%.

Pleating is easily done for 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 5% and 10% solutions, and the hose does not cause jamming over approximately 15,000 m. The casings are satisfactory in practice, that is to say with filling, but the strips coated with liquids at 0.25% and 10% of sorbitan oleate are less good than the others. In the case of 0.25%, the number of fine holes appears higher and more problems are encountered during pleating; for example, ruptures occur. The reason is probably the low concentration of lubricant on the wall of the hose. The hose obtained with the 10% sorbitan trioleate solution behaves well, but the pleated band tends to grow.

Best pleating results are obtained for 1% and 1.5% sorbitan trioleate liquids. Results have also been noted for these liquids during various actual manufacturing tests. It was thus observed in a workshop that, for a content of 1%, the frequency of rupture was 1 case on 1400 bands. Another workshop noted 30 cases for 200 strips. On the basis of a series of filling tests in various manufacturing workshops, the two cases cited constitute extreme values, it can be concluded that the casings treated according to this example have a lower defect rate than the casings made of regenerated cellulose Trade.

Although the results vary depending on the workshop, users agree that the results thus obtained are generally much better than those obtained with cellulose casings wetted according to prior techniques.

Example 2:

Pleated bands of hoses are prepared by spraying a wetting fluid, consisting of 1% sorbitan trioleate in water, on the internal wall of a cellulose hose, as described in Example 1. The trioleate sorbitan is present in an amount of about 0.012 mg / cm 2 of casing and the water content of the casing is increased to about 18% by weight. Acetylated monoglyceride and 1% polyoxyethylene 400 monostearate are added to the air-based spray with which the hose is inflated during pleating, and the compounds are applied in a concentration of about 0.3 g per 32 m of hose band having a diameter of 24 mm.

Typical routine filling tests with several thousand hose bands show a failure rate of 0.2-0.4%. Normally, wetted casings according to the prior art have on average a failure rate of 2 to 3% under similar test conditions.

Example 3:

The procedure is as in Example 1, with the difference that strips of collagen casing 13 to 16 m long are treated instead of regenerated cellulose casing. The untreated collagen casing has a diameter of 21 mm, a wall thickness of approximately 0.73 mm and a water content of between 8 and 12%. The hose strip is introduced through a pleating mandrel and pleated. When passing over the mandrel, the internal wall is brought into contact with an aqueous solution containing 1% of sorbitan trioleate. The hose easily lends itself to pleating and a dosage of the water content shows an excess of 24%.

Example 4:

Artificial sausage casings are moistened with extruded collagen during the pleating process performed using the apparatus described in US Patent No. 3451827, using a spray system to apply the fluid to the inner wall of the casing.

The humidification fluid is prepared by dispersing 1% sorbitan trioleate and 0.2% GMO in water. The apparatus is supplied from a hose reel made of flattened collagen stored dry, that is to say having a water content of 14%, the diameter of which is 21 mm and the wall thickness between 0.032 and 0.038 mm; the hose is passed over the pleating mandrel and pleated. When passing over the mandrel, the aqueous dispersion is sprayed on the internal wall in an amount of 8 ml / strip. Under these conditions, an amount of approximately 0.95 mg / cm 2 of aqueous dispersion is applied to the internal walls. The pleated band contains 13 m of hose and the inner walls of the hose contain approximately 0.007 to 0.009 mg / cm2 of sorbitan trioleate and approximately 0.0015 to 0.0017 mg / cm2 of GMO. The moisture content is around 24%.

The hose folds very easily. The casings behave well when filling and placing in strings, and there is a torsional break rate of 0.94% on a sausage making machine.

For comparison, the procedure of Example 4 is repeated with the exception that the sorbitan trioleate and the GMO are not dispersed in water. It can be seen that the pleated hose has a use rate of 2.20% torsional failure.

Example 5:

During a second test, a pleated strip of collagen casing is prepared by spraying with a wetting fluid consisting

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killed by water containing 1% sorbitan trioleate and 0.2% GMO, on the inner wall of the hose, according to the method of example 1. The sorbitan trioleate is present in an amount of approximately 0 , 01 mg / cm2 of hose and GMO in an amount of about 0.002 mg / cm2 of hose, and the moisture content of hose 5 is increased by about 24%.

For the purposes of comparison, the operations of Example 2 are repeated in a series of tests, with the exception that in one test only 1% of sorbitan trioleate is incorporated into the wetting liquid, in a second test 1% sorbitan trioleate and 0.1% GMO, and in a third test 2.5% sorbitan trioleate and 1% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) are added to the fluid.

The rate of torsional breakage is noted during the filling and stranding operations in a sausage making machine for wet collagen strips according to Example 2, on the one hand, and according to the tests carried out. for comparison, on the other hand. The values recorded are listed in the table below.

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Board

Test

Additives) added to the wetting fluid

Break

No.

to

twist (%)

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1% sorbitan trioleate + 0.2% GMO

0.09

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1% sorbitan trioleate + 0.1% GMO

6.00

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1% sorbitan trioleate

2.30

4

2.5% sorbitan trioleate + 1% CMC

2.40

It is clear from these values that the wet collagen casings according to the present invention exhibit a significantly lower rate of torsional break during filling and stranding operations (test No. 1), especially in comparison with collagen casings wetted with aqueous dispersions which do not meet the definition of the present invention.

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Claims (11)

619,115 1. Method for wetting and pleating an artificial sausage casing during which a wetting fluid is brought into contact with the internal wall of the non-pleated casing and then the casing is pleated on a pleating machine, characterized in that the wetting fluid is a mixture of water and 0.5 to 5% of a surfactant having lubricating properties which are applied to the hose in an amount sufficient for the hose to have a level of surfactant between 0.002 and 0.02 mg / cm2. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the artificial casing is made of regenerated cellulose. 2 3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the artificial casing is made of collagen. 4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the surfactant is a partial fatty ester of sorbitol. 5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the partial fatty ester of sorbitol is sorbitan trioleate. 6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the partial fatty ester of sorbitol is sorbitan trioleate, present in the wetting fluid at a concentration of between 0.8 and 1.5%. 7. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the collagen casing is wetted with a wetting fluid consisting of water, a partial fatty ester of sorbitol and a partial fatty ester of glycerol. 8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the fatty partial esters are esters of oleic acid. 9. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the glycerol ester is a mixture of mono- and diglycerides. 10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the glycerol ester is present in the wetting fluid in a concentration greater than 0.1% by weight. 11. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the glycerol ester is present in the wetting fluid in a concentration of between 0.12 and 1% by weight. Artificial sausage casings made from many raw materials such as regenerated cellulose and collagen have been widely appreciated as a synthetic material to replace natural casings in the manufacture of sausages. During their manufacture, they are continuously extruded in the form of a tube. In order to facilitate their handling in transport, these artificial hoses are pleated in lengths between 13 to 65 m and 12 to 80 cm. These hoses generally have a humidity level between 10 and 14% during extrusion. To be able to fold them and to use them when filling on a sausage making machine, these casings must have a higher water content, that is to say between 14 and 20% for those made of regenerated cellulose, and between 24 and 26% for those made of collagen. When the water content is lower than the values indicated, the hoses are too brittle and often break during pleating or filling. In order to increase the humidity level of casings of artificial sausages in order to prepare them for pleating, it has already been proposed to moisten them inside while simultaneously lubricating them on the pleating machine by spraying with a jet of water. and a separate spray of a lubricant on the walls of the hose through the mandrel. Humidification was also carried out by spraying water on the rollers or pleating belts which are then brought into contact with the outer surface of the hose. According to these methods, it has been proposed to add wetting agents in a proportion of between approximately 0.02 and 0.04% by weight relative to the total weight of the solution in order to increase its wetting power. It has also been suggested to apply coatings to the interior of regenerated cellulose sausage casings during the pleating operation. The aim of the coatings used according to these methods is to be able to more easily remove the skin from the sausages thus produced. In these particular processes, the lubricants used are aqueous emulsions of vegetable or mineral oils or paraffin oil. Another method is to moisten artificial casings after pleating by spraying a mixture of water and lubricant onto the surface of the pleated casing. The lubricants used in the mixture are aqueous emulsions of vegetable, animal or refined oils. Various coatings were also applied to the interior of the artificial sausage casings made of regenerated cellulose by spraying the coating solution through the pleating mandrel. This type of coating solution contains from 0.2 to 2% by weight of cetyl alcohol, acetylated monoglycerides of animal and vegetable fats, and dimers of Ci6-Cis fatty ketenes in an aqueous solution of glycerol at 12%.