Casings for sausages. Sausage casings - classification, types and applications. Packaging for sausages and meat products by type

What sausage casings do manufacturers use?

Sausage casing is an important component of sausage products. It affects not only the appearance, but also the taste of the products. What types of sausage casings are on the market, and what types do manufacturers prefer?

You can learn how to choose casings and packaging for sausage products in the following video. What material is used for sausages, what are the requirements for them? What are the differences between natural and polyamide casings? All this is discussed by journalists from the Southern Region Don TV channel.

Choosing casings and packaging for sausages! TV channel "South Region Don"

Sausage casings can be divided into four types: natural, collagen, protein, cellulose. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Natural casings

The name reveals what they are made from - natural raw materials. For this purpose, various parts of the intestines of slaughter animals are used - cattle, pigs, sheep. The resulting raw material undergoes special processing before becoming a shell. The result is a continuous mesh that consists of connective tissue. Thanks to this structure, it has good permeability and tensile strength. In addition, this shell is edible. But it also has its drawbacks: uneven diameter and length, and there may be defects in raw materials. Also, the shelf life of finished products in such casings is very short, since they are exposed to microorganisms faster. An example of sausages in a natural casing is Frankfurt sausages.

How Frankfurt sausages are made

Despite the fact that it belongs to artificial casings, its composition is closest to natural casings. This is due to the fact that in its production collagen fibers are used, which are obtained from the middle layer of cattle hides.

The raw material is called split wood. During the manufacturing process, split wood is sorted, preservatives are removed, and then it is subject to mechanical and chemical treatment.
The resulting collagen mass is the basis for the sausage casing. It obtains the necessary properties through conditioning, drying at a certain temperature and humidity.

In terms of its properties, such a shell is not inferior to natural ones. , and has a number of advantages. Among them: elasticity, fixed minced meat capacity, steam and gas permeability. In addition, they are edible and there will be no harm to health from consuming them. Manufacturers offer colorless and colored collagen casings.
Many sausage manufacturers prefer this type of casing for their products.
One of these producers is the Yekaterinburg Meat Processing Plant. The entire chain of sausage production at the plant in the video:

Production of sausages "EMK"

The raw material for production is highly purified cellulose. This casing is moisture-, steam-, and gas-permeable and is widely used for the production of sausages and sausages. Their undeniable advantage is that they are resistant to high temperatures, good elongation, and smoke permeability.

At the same time, it is characterized by high moisture permeability, which means that manufacturers need to pay attention to the humidity conditions of thermal chambers and comply with the storage conditions of finished products.

Therefore, their use is optimal for sausages with a low moisture content in the recipe. If previously they were used for the production of small-caliber sausages, now they are also used to package large-diameter sausages. In order to give the product a natural look, cellulose casings are tinted.
Their properties allowed they will take pride of place among the shells. Recently, their popularity among manufacturers has only increased. This is explained by the fact that the demand for so-called “retro sausages” has increased. Buyers choose cooked, tasty sausage with a paper strip inside and tied up in cellophane.

They are called shells of the 21st century. They have become the number one choice for many sausage producers. And there are reasons for this. They are made on the basis of polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride. The raw materials are hygienically clean materials, and the shells are safe when in contact with the product.

There are two types of these shells: heat-shrinkable and non-heat-shrinkable. The most commonly used are heat shrink. They can be single-layer or multi-layer, of various colors and diameters. A special feature is shrinkage under certain conditions in the longitudinal and transverse directions of up to 15 percent. This property ensures the evenness and smoothness of the loaves. All polyamide shells have the following properties: mechanical strength, heat resistance, biological inertness, and make it possible to obtain a product with increased yields.

Due to their impermeability, polyamide shells do not allow microbes to penetrate inside. In addition, the shelf life also depends on the storage temperature. The shelf life can range from 15 to 60 days.

Manufacturers will not need to make any special changes in production technology. And what features different types of polyamide shell have are indicated in the manufacturer’s recommendations.

All this has provided a wide range of applications - they are used for boiled, liverwurst, sausages, brawn, pates, semi-finished products and many other products. But, at the same time, these shells also have their own characteristics, due to the fact that moisture, gas and vapor permeability are absent. To achieve a smoky flavor, manufacturers have to use artificial flavors.

You can see how sausages are produced in polyamide casings in the video:

Production of sausages. Vyatka

The variety of sausage casings is determined by the methods of heat treatment and the specifics of further storage of finished sausages. Currently, the following types of sausage casings are used - and (, cellulose, polyamide, fibrous).

We will try to classify sausage casings by type of sausage (which ones are best suited for which type), by the type of heat treatment of sausage products and by shelf life.

1. By heat treatment method. All sausage casings can withstand heating up to 75-80 C. But for higher temperatures - for example, for grilling or baking in the oven, natural casings are more suitable ( guts).

Below is a list of methods for heat treatment of sausages and the most suitable casings for each case:

a) Frying, baking sausages (in a frying pan, grill) - , , .

V) Smoking sausages (hot and cold)- , cellulose casing.

G) Drying and curing sausages- , , fibrous membrane.

2. By type of sausage casings can be grouped something like this (casings are listed in descending order of preference for use for each specific type of sausage):

Storage for up to 10 days after heat treatment - sausages in collagen and cellulose casings after smoking.

Storage up to 15 days - sausages in a polyamide multilayer barrier casing.

Casings used in the production of smoked sausages must have good gas and moisture permeability. In the production of cooked sausages and hams, on the contrary, minimal moisture permeability is desirable to reduce losses during heat treatment and storage.

Artificial shells are divided into permeable and impermeable.

Of the vapor- and smoke-permeable casings, the most common are protein cellulose and fibrous casings, and of impermeable casings, casings made from polymer materials are the most common.

Each type of sausage casing has its own properties and features that must be taken into account during production.

Cellulose casings

The group of permeable artificial casings includes cellulose casings. The basis of these casings is highly purified cellulose. Cellulose is used to produce cellulose and cellophane casings.

Cellophane sausage casings have not found widespread use, but the most common cellulose casings are sausage and sausage casings, such as Viscofan (Spain) and Devro-Tipak (Belgium).

These shells are more durable than protein shells, although they have a small thickness (25-25 microns), they are elastic, moisture and smoke permeable, can withstand high temperatures (up to 100? C), stretch well in the longitudinal and transverse directions (up to 20% ). The shells are easily removed after the product has cooled.

It must be borne in mind that cellulose casings have high moisture permeability, which requires constant monitoring of the temperature and humidity conditions of thermal chambers, as well as the modes and conditions of product storage. In addition, they have weak adhesion to minced meat.

Fibrous casings

Fibrous casings are produced using long-fiber, equally durable paper and regenerated viscose. Currently, there is a wide range of fibrous casings of various diameters and a wide range of colors.

Fibrous casings have high mechanical strength, moisture and smoke permeability. They clip perfectly, are elastic, can withstand high temperatures, have standard diameters and bright, attractive colors.

However, these casings are expensive, so they are used mainly for the production of high-quality products (boiled-smoked, half-smoked, raw-smoked, dry-cured sausages, ham products, and rare-boiled sausages).

Protein sausage casings

Of the artificial moisture- and smoke-permeable casings, the most common are protein casings: “Belkozin” (Russia, Ukraine), “Ko-Ko” (Yugoslavia), “Fabios” (Poland), “Naturin” (Germany), “Kolfan” (Spain) , "Devro" (Scotland). All these shells are produced according to approximately the same scheme, with slight differences depending on the technology used by the manufacturer and the raw materials used.

The raw material for the production of these casings is split beef hides, from which collagen is extracted and then protein casings are produced on its basis.

These casings are produced colorless or smoke-colored in various shades. Protein casings are produced in various diameters from 18 to 80 mm. They are quite durable, have good moisture and smoke permeability, are elastic, capable of shrinkage, have adhesion to minced meat, have constant dimensions, do not deform when heated, are resistant to bacterial contamination, and are well stored at room temperature. The protein casings can be clipped using certain clippers and certain clips.

The main disadvantage of protein shells is that at high temperatures (90-100? C) they begin to collapse.

These casings are used in the production of all types of sausages: boiled, semi-smoked, boiled-smoked and raw smoked.

Polyamide shells

In recent years, polyamide casings, supplied by both foreign and domestic companies, have found widespread use in the production of cooked sausages.

Polyamide shells are heat-shrinkable and non-heat-shrinkable. Heat-shrinkable casings are produced single-layer and multi-layer.

They are available in various diameters and a wide range of bright colors.

Polyamide shells are characterized by increased heat resistance, mechanical strength, gas, moisture and vapor permeability, do not transmit ultraviolet rays, are biologically inert, and ensure production of products with increased yields. They clip well on clippers of various designs and hold the clip well during heat treatment of sausages.

Heat-shrinkable casings shrink up to 15% in the longitudinal and transverse directions, which ensures sausages in even, smooth, wrinkle-free loaves.

To use polyamide casings, no special changes in the production technology of meat products are required; some features of the use of casings are indicated in the recommendations for each type of casing.

Considering the impermeability of the shell, it is necessary to reduce the amount of water added to the minced meat by 5-14% relative to the normal value. at the same time, the yield of finished products does not decrease, and in some cases it increases, depending on the recipes and quality of raw meat.

The impermeability of the polyamide shell protects meat products from oxidation and microbial spoilage. The degree of safety of the product depends only on the initial number of microorganisms introduced with minced meat or meat, the temperature of storage and sale of products, and the pH of the environment. Therefore, sausages in polyamide casings can be stored for a longer time.

Polyamide casings are used in the production of the following range of products: boiled sausages of all types and names, casing hams, liver sausages, pates, brawn, jellied meat, jelly, processed cheeses, semi-finished products, etc.

Along with the listed advantages, it should be noted that polyamide casings, due to the gas, moisture and vapor impermeability of the material, do not allow obtaining products with a natural smoking aroma, which leads to the need to use artificial flavors.

Average annual consumption rates and minced meat capacity of protein and polyamide casings

Cellulose casing HUKKI type F

HUKKI type F is an artificial cellulose reinforced sausage casing, which is a special type of casing and is designed to give the product the most attractive and sophisticated appearance due to the unique shape and appearance of the loaf.

For the production of HUKKI type F casings, the following materials are used:

cellulose;
non-stretchable thread mesh with diamond weave.

The shell has the following structure: the base is elastic cellulose, the surface layer of which includes a strong thread mesh, due to the inextensibility of which convex cells - honeycombs - are obtained. It is obvious to assume with such a shell structure an increased thickness, strength and filling capacity, which is determined by the tensile property of the elastic base. During the process of stuffing the HUKKI shell, the filler under pressure stretches the lower layer of elastic cellulose, while the upper mesh, remaining motionless (due to inextensibility), prevents uniform overfilling; therefore, the loaf takes on the appearance of multiple convexities, the size and shape of which exactly correspond to the parameters of the thread mesh. The surface of the loaf in the HUKKI type F casing is smooth and glossy, in contrast to the collagen-based HUKKI casings. Compared to the latter, cellulose HUKKIs are cheaper, but less durable.

The advantage of such a shell is both the unusual attractive appearance of the finished product and its own strength properties. When cut, the loaf has the shape of a flower, which allows you to beautifully design portions and serving cuts; in addition, the increased strength of the shell completely eliminates any ruptures at all stages

Collagen casing HUKKI type V

HUKKI type V is an artificial protein sausage casing, which is a special type of casing and is designed to give the product the most attractive and sophisticated appearance due to the unique shape and appearance of the loaf.

The following materials are used for the production of HUKKI type V casings:

collagen;
non-stretchable thread mesh with diamond weave;
nylon elastic mesh.

The shell has the following structure: the base is a nylon elastic mesh, impregnated with collagen, the surface layer of which includes a strong thread mesh, due to the inextensibility property of which convex cells - honeycombs - are obtained. It is obvious to assume with such a shell structure an increased thickness, strength and filling capacity, which is determined by the tensile property of the elastic base. During the process of stuffing the HUKKI shell type V, the filler under pressure stretches the lower nylon layer along with elastic collagen, while the upper mesh, remaining motionless (due to inextensibility), prevents uniform overfilling, so the loaf takes on the appearance of multiple convexities, the size and shape of which exactly correspond to the parameters thread mesh.
The advantage of such a shell is both the unusual attractive appearance of the finished product and its own strength properties. When cut, the loaf has the shape of a flower, which allows you to beautifully design portions and serving cuts; in addition, the increased strength of the shell completely eliminates any ruptures at all stages of the technological process.

Permeable polyamide shells make it possible to achieve traditional organoleptic characteristics; the products have a pronounced smell and taste of smoking. They have properties such as vapor permeability and heat shrinkability. Impermeable shells do not allow steam, moisture, or gas to pass through, allow for maximum yield of finished products, and protect products from microbial spoilage and oxidation.

For the production of cellulose casings, cotton fibers and high-grade alpha cellulose are used. This type of shell differs depending on the purpose, degree of elongation, production method and shape. They are classified as inedible, elastic, thermally stable, moisture- and smoke-permeable, easy to clip, and smokeable.

The Solvi Pak company sells the following types of sausage casings: collagen, cellulose, polyamide - barrier, permeable.

Our company has extensive experience in selling sausage casings on rolls, so we can help you choose the best option that will meet the production requirements, type of product and planned investments.

We offer casings from the following manufacturers:

Collagen shells

Collagen shells have the following properties: elasticity, fixed minced meat capacity, and good steam and gas permeability. Another advantage is the fact that they can be used on all types of equipment. Products in such casings can be stored for 3 to 5 days if the temperature is maintained.

Cutisin "Devro" (Czech Republic)

We sell Kutizin Select, Kutizin CRQ, Kutizin SE UV-X, FINE, AF, Edikol T. The casings are intended for the production of sausages, sausages, boiled, boiled-smoked, semi-smoked and raw smoked sausages, lump smoked meats in a net, sausages in metal forms .

Nitta Casings Inc. (USA)

Nitta - Edible collagen casing for making sausages and sausages

Polyamide sausage casings

All polyamide shells are divided into permeable and impermeable (barrier).

Impermeable shells do not allow steam, moisture, gas to pass through, allow for maximum yield of finished products, and protect products from microbial spoilage and oxidation. Sausages in such casings have a maximum shelf life compared to other types of casings. The disadvantage is that it is impossible to obtain products with a natural smoky flavor, so manufacturers have to add flavorings.

Permeable polyamide shells combine the best qualities of barrier and permeable shells. They allow you to achieve traditional organoleptic characteristics; the products have a pronounced smell and taste of smoking. They have properties such as vapor permeability and the ability to heat shrink, which guarantees the preservation of the appearance of the product, and high elasticity allows you to achieve the required caliber of filling.

"Slava" (Russia)

Polyamide barrier- Lexalon, Coralon: multi-layer and single-layer barrier sausage casings, used for the production of all types of boiled sausages, sausages with fillers, hams and pates, sausages, sausages, bacon, mini-sausages.

Polyamide permeable (Fibrolux, Slava Lux, Slava Lux GP, Prestige): Designed for semi-smoked and boiled-smoked sausages, mini-sausages, frankfurters, sausages, for products the production of which includes a smoking process (frying with smoke).

"Biostar" (Russia)

Polyamide permeable- Biolon Smoke.

Polyamide barrier- Biolon Master (MS), Biolon Light (LT), Biolon Shape (SP) - synthetic multilayer heat-shrinkable barrier coatings

Poly Pak (Ukraine)

Polyamide barrier- Luga Bar, Luga-Mix, Luga-Fresh types Astoria, Sinyuga, Luga-Fresh Kranz. Luga-Fresh Gli - intended for the production of all types of sausages, wieners, mini-sausages, boiled, liver, blood, fish sausages, pates, brawn, minced meat.

Polyamide permeable- Luga-Bar type Pro, Luga-Light type Pro, Luga-Star, Fiberstar, Luga-Smoke - are intended for the production of all types of sausages, small sausages, bacon, mini-sausages using technologies that include smoking (frying with smoke).

Pulp sausage casings

Viscaise (France)

Nojax - Cellulose sausage and sausage casing.

Raw materials and technology for the production of meat products are a key, but not the only factor that determines the quality and freshness (shelf life and readiness for consumption) of the product on the table of the end consumer. Packaging is also very important, which we often simply do not notice, as an integral part of the “ecosystem” of a quality product.

The production of quality sausage packaging as a process also requires a balanced approach to raw materials and the process of preparing them for direct use. Materials must be environmentally friendly, protecting meat products during the current shelf life of the product from environmental influences and external damage.

This requires a reliable and well-thought-out technological base, which will be given due attention during the production of the product. Today there are a sufficient number of methods and options for preparing high-quality packaging for meat products.

Packaging for sausages and meat products by type

Belarusian enterprises, whose products our company supplies, use a wide range of high-quality types of packaging in accordance with the specifics of a particular product. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Protein

The standard protein casing is made from collagen, a product of split beef hides. It is characterized by high strength, moisture resistance and elasticity - it does not deform under physical and thermal influences, keeping the structure of the product intact.

Designed for packaging a wide range of sausages - both different types of dry smoked and boiled, along with ham. It is this point that determines the large number of names of the protein shell that is used in production, depending on its diameter.

Based on the type of sausage, the diameter of the protein casings of the products of the Brest Meat Processing Plant and a number of other enterprises is 33, 35, 36, 45, 60, 65 mm.

Betex

Textile shell of increased strength, which includes viscose and cotton. Designed for packaging of all perishable types of cooked sausages, it is characterized by complete immunity to external factors affecting the product and ample opportunities for bright and aesthetic, yet safe, external design of the product.

Vacuum

With vacuum packaging, the product is placed in a container or bag from which all the air is pumped out. Like packaging in a modified gas environment, this method allows you to increase the shelf life of perishable goods several times. For example, smoked sausage can be stored for 1 year, while without packaging it can be stored for a maximum of 3 months.

Gas (MGS – Modified Gas Environment)

Gas packaging is the placement of products in a special environment (a bag or container in film), where the air is replaced by a mixture of inert gases (nitrogen, carbon dioxide), which greatly slows down or eliminates food spoilage altogether. This is the main advantage of such packaging, which is why it is often used for sausages and meat products.

Main elements of gas packaging technology:

Thermal sealing
Mixture of inert gases
Film/container with barrier layer

Can

An ultra-reliable means of packaging meat products, which is primarily designed to ensure a long shelf life for certain product categories. For example, canned meat, the key essence of which is to create conditions for storing the product for a year or more without reducing quality.

Artificial collagen

Despite the name, it is also made from natural raw materials of animal origin, but with the addition of additional fibers. This allows you to increase the protective qualities of the shell, while maintaining its high environmental friendliness and safety for the consumer.

The range of applications, accordingly, is also wide - these are smoked dry sausages, boiled sausages, casing hams, sausages, poultry products.

Kutizin

A hard casing (artificial protein) that is well known to us, which finds its application in almost all categories of meat products - sausages, dry and boiled sausages, a specific range of meats. It is very elastic and resistant to the formation of loaves of fundamentally different density and consistency.

Naturin or natural shell

This is a natural casing, the raw material for the production of which is entirely beef split. Used for packaging all types of sausages.

The increased thickness of its walls compared to other types of packaging determines the high strength and degree of protection of the product, and also blocks the formation of wrinkles under the influence of external factors (especially important for raw smoked sausages).

The assortment includes naturin casings with a diameter of 20, 35, 45 mm.

P/film

A soft and maximally elastic option for products, which, nevertheless, guarantees excellent protective properties for the meat product.

Cling film is made from high pressure polyvinyl chloride. This ensures transparency and high strength of the material. P/film is used for both manual and automatic packaging of meat products. Other advantages of this shell:

Increased gas and moisture permeability - the original appearance and taste of products are preserved longer than in polypropylene or polyethylene casings.
Lack of conditions for the appearance and proliferation of bacteria.
Resistance to high and low temperatures.

Polyamide

Artificial casing for sausages and other meat products, which is made from an environmentally friendly mixture of polyamides and polyethylene - safe for meat and, at the same time, providing high protective properties.

It protects the product as much as possible from the infiltration of even gaseous irritants, which is why it is designed as a class for packaging perishable products - boiled sausages, pates, etc.

It is important to note the combination of high stability and elasticity of the shell, which allows it to be filled with raw materials up to 200% of the nominal value without loss of shape. We produce polyamide film with a diameter of 24, 25, 36, 65, 75, 80, 81 mm, and the range of its calibers in general, relevant today, varies from 16 to 160 mm.

Ramsay

Textile casing designed for storing only the highest grade sausages. It is extremely natural in terms of composition and is characterized by a reasonable price relative to its niche.

Textile

A high-tech textile sleeve made of linen, cotton and artificial silk, which simplifies the process of stuffing raw materials as much as possible. It has proven itself perfectly in combination with all types of meat products.

Flowpack

Flowpack type packaging is a bag with three seams, one longitudinal and two transverse. Designed for packaging meat and other food products, both together and individually.

Packaging occurs by unwinding the film from a roll and creating a sleeve with a longitudinal weld from it. The product is supplied to the packaging simultaneously with winding and seam creation.

The advantages of flow packaging are high packaging speed, equally high product safety and ease of applying a logo to the surface.

Foil

Cellophane

The casing for short-term storage of products, which is characterized by fairly high permeability, is used to reduce the cost of the product without harming its quality.

Cellophane mesh

Cellophane mesh with fabric fibers is designed to give the product an original appearance - it is used in combination with other types of casings.

As you can see, most types of shells are universal. But still, for each type of meat product it is better to use one or another type, depending on your goals and objectives.

We will help you choose the best casing options for each type of meat product you are producing and, if necessary, we will arrange stable supplies. We are interested in long-term cooperation with you!