Abstract: A shirred fibrous casing article containing about 20% to about 30% moisture by total casing weight and composed of shirred portions spliced together and retained in an overwrap wherein a flag which identifies the splice location between the shirred portions is extended radially through the overwrap.

Abstract: A shirred casing article is composed of a cut length of fibrous casing and must be soaked prior to stuffing. A loop is attached at one end of the cut length for hanging the casing after stuffing. However prior to stuffing, the loop is extended longitudinally about the shirred casing article to maintain the integrity of the shirred casing during soaking. Thus the loop which functions as a means to suspend the casing after stuffing, functions before stuffing as a means to restrain longitudinal expansion of the shirred article.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for stuffing food product into shirred casing wherein an internal sizing member and an external engaging member cooperate to provide casing presizing and casing holdback. A small relative motion between said sizing member and said engaging member controllably reduces holdback to facilitate gathering and clipping the stuffed product.

Abstract: A casing article which includes a tubular core member and a length of shirred casing disposed on the core with its inner periphery in gripping engagement about the core. A deshirring control is carried by the core and engages a rear portion of the shirred casing. The deshirring control prevents forward movement of the rear portion of shirred casing until all the shirred casing forward of the control has deshirred so that any forward movement of the trailing end of the shirred casing can be taken as a true indication of the depletion of casing from the shirred strand.