Abstract: The invention relates to tubular, edible food casings which include cellulose, at least one protein and at least one filler in which the ratio of the wet tear strength in the transverse direction to the wet tear strength in the longitudinal direction is from 1.3:1 to 1:3.5. The casing is gathered to form a shirred stick which is particularly suitable for processing on high-speed stuffing machines. The sticks can be deshirred and stuffed with sausage meat emulsion without difficulty on the stuffing horn. The sticks are particularly suitable in the production of cooked-meat sausages and scalded-emulsion sausages and frying sausages, especially small sausages in which the casing is co-consumed.

Abstract: The invention relates to edible molded bodies in the form of a flat or tubular film based on plastifiable biopolymers, the cleavage products or derivatives thereof and/or synthetic polymers from natural monomers, characterized in that they are produced according to a method comprising the following steps: a) the biopolymers, cleavage products or derivatives thereof and/or synthetic polymers are mixed with at least one edible plasticizer, at least one lubricating agent and at least one cross-linking agent, b) the mixture thus obtained is melted into a thermoplastic material, c) said material is extruded and d) the product obtained by extrusion is calendered and/or stretched or blown and deformed into the edible molded body. The molded bodies cited in the invention are suitable for use as food wrappers for sausages and boiled ham, and are particularly suitable for use as seamless sausage casings.

Abstract: The invention relates to a film which is produced form a thermoplastic polymer mixture containing the following: a) thermoplastic starch and/or a thermoplastic starch derivative and b) at least one polyester urethane, with the weight ratio a):b) being in the range from 75:25 to 5:95, and the surface-related degree of stretching the film being 2 to 70. The polyester urethanes forms a matrix in the mixture and the thermoplastic starch or a thermoplastic starch derivative being distributed in a microdispersion in the form of particles with a diameter dp of 0.05 to 30 &mgr;m. The invention also relates to a method for the inventive film and its use as a packaging film, especially for artificial sausage skins.

Abstract: The present invention provides a seamless tubular film on a cellulose base, being produced by extruding an aqueous cellulose N-methyl-morpholine-N-oxide spinning solution. The maximum degree of roughness Rmax is from greater than 0.1 &mgr;m to 0.5 &mgr;m and an average degree of roughness Rm is from 0.005 to 0.014 &mgr;m. On the surface of the tubular film is formed in contact with an electrolyte an electrokinetic potential, the size of which depends on the pH value of the electrolyte.

Abstract: The invention relates to a film tube (10) based on cellulose which is produced by extruding an aqueous cellulose-N-methyl-morpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) solution through a ring nozzle (21) onto a lining (3). The film tube (10) is manufactured by means of a vertically descending spinning in a spinning vat (12) in which a spinning bath (11) is located. The film tube (10) which is submerged in the spinning bath (11) passes through an air gap (9) between the underside of a nozzle block (7) and the upper surface of the spinning bath (11) and, internally, is pressurized, supported and slightly stretched in a transversal manner by compressed air. The film tube (10) is filled with an inner bath solution (31) via a supply tube (18). An idle roller (13) is situated near the bottom of the spinning vat (12) in order to guide the film tube (10) around and, afterwards, out of the spinning vat (12) in an upward sloping manner. The film tube is laid flat along a contact section (27) of the idle roller (13).

Abstract: The invention relates to an edible packaging film for foodstuffs, which contains cellulose, at least one protein and at least one filler. Bran, ground natural fibres, cotton linters, chitosan, guar meal, carob meal or micro-crystalline cellulose are preferably used as the fillers. The film is predominantly used to produce synthetic sausage casings.

Abstract: A seamless cellulose-based tubular film is produced by extruding an aqueous N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO) spinning solution through a ring die. The tubular film comprises at least one protein, at least one filler and, if appropriate, a stabilizer. The tubular film passes through a spinning bath 3 in which it is turned around and, after its exit from the spinning bath it passes through a wash device 25, 26, a plasticizing device 27 and a dryer 28.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the treatment, in particular for the roughening, of the surface of hydrated cellulose shaped articles, in which at least one cellulase is allowed to act on the surface and is then inactivated permanently. The tubular films modified in this way are particularly suitable as foodstuff casings, specifically as sausage casings.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing NMMO-water mixture which collects in the interior of a tubular film which is produced by the NMMO process comprises a spinning vat and a wash vat. Between the two vats is situated a conveyor belt which circulates endlessly over two rollers. The conveyor belt is directed upward at an incline from the spinning vat to the wash vat. The tubular film, in the interior of the spinning vat, is passed vertically downward, then reversed and conducted vertically out of the spinning vat and passes over the inclined conveyor belt into the wash vat. Above the conveyor belt is situated a spray device having spraying nozzles from which wash liquid at a temperature between 60 and 80° C. is sprayed onto the tubular film which is transported via the conveyor belt.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cellulose-hydrate-containing seamless tubular food casing comprising at least one vinylpyrrolidone homopolymer and/or vinylpyrrolidone copolymer in admixture with the cellulose hydrate. The weight ratio of vinylpyrrolidone homopolymer and/or vinyl-pyrrolidone copolymer to cellulose is generally from 1:25 to 10:1. The casing can be reinforced with fibers, in particular with a hemp fiber paper. It is generally produced by the viscose process and has a low permeation and anti-mold properties. The casing is envisaged as artificial sausage casing, particularly suitable for dry or long-keeping sausage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tubular food casing based on cellulose hydrate which is impregnated and/or coated on its inner surface with a release preparation. The release preparation comprises (a) at least one reactive hydrophobicizing component, (b) at least one non-reactive release component and (c) at least one oil component and/or lecithin component.

Abstract: The invention concerns flat or tubular cellulose-based foodstuff casings which are prepared by extruding (“spinning”) cellulose dissolved in N-methyl-morpholine-N-oxide by means of a nozzle with an annular gap. After extrusion, the casings are stretched transversely in ambient air by blow moulding, and are then treated with an NMMO-containing aqueous spinning bath. The tubular casings are particularly suitable as sausage casings. Cut open, they can also be used as flat foils.

Abstract: A tubular food casing based on regenerated cellulose, which casing may be fiber-reinforced, is coated on its inner surface with a copolymer which includes 50 to 84% by weight of vinylidene chloride units, 2 to 20% by weight of acrylonitrile units, 1 to 10% by weight of acrylic acid units, and 1 to 47% by weight of (C1-C18)alkyl (meth)acrylate units. The casing has high water vapor barrier and oxygen barrier characteristics. The shirring folds and lay-flat edges which result during the production and processing of the casing remain undamaged over long storage periods. The inner coating, in addition, shows no hot-water haze on simmering. The casing is particularly suitable as an artificial sausage casing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stick of a tubular food casing based on cellulose. The casing is produced by the NMMO process. The stick is particularly stable and is thus suited for automatic filling devices such as those used for producing cooked or boiled sausages.

Abstract: The invention relates to a seamless, tubular sausage casing based on cellulose hydrate having a continuous coating made of a polymeric material on its outer surface, which is permeable to hot smoke and cold smoke. The coating preferably has a thickness of from 3 to 10 &mgr;m and can also comprise or consist of a plurality of individual layers. The coating can be applied by conventional coating processes, and in addition also by single or repeated whole-surface printing. The casing is adapted especially for smoked liver sausage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cellulose-based food casing, manufactured with a spinning solution that comprises cellulose, N-methyl-morpholine-N-oxide, water, at least one additive that modifies the surface properties of the casing and at least one other additive that modifies its internal structure. The surface-modifying additive is preferably a protein, a protein derivative, a mono-, di- and triglyceride, a diketene with long-chained alkyl radicals, a wax and/or a paraffin. The casing may also optionally contain a fleece insert, and preferably has a tubular shape. The inventive casing is particularly suited for use as a sausage casing. Nonreinforced casings of the present invention are particularly suited for use as peelable casings for the production of sausage, while the fiber-reinforced casings are particularly suited for dry sausage.

Abstract: The present invention that also possesses provides a method for producing a seamless tubular film based on cellulose comprising extruding an aqueous cellulose-N-methyl-morpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) spinning solution through an annular die in a spinning bath, wherein the spinning solution forms the tubular film. The film is laterally drawn in an air gap between the annular die and the spinning bath by stabilizing air pressure in the tubular film. The level of hydrostatic pressure from an inner spinning solution formed inside the tubular film extends above the spinning bath, the inner spinning solution comprising an aqueous NMMO solution that supports and intensifies said lateral drawing. The tubular film that has been expanded by the lateral drawing process is passes by a turning point in the spinning bath, and directed out of the spinning bath.

Abstract: A tubular food casing based on regenerated cellulose, which casing may be fiber-reinforced, is coated on its inner surface with a copolymer which includes 50 to 84% by weight of vinylidene chloride units, 2 to 20% by weight of acrylonitrile units, 1 to 10% by weight of acrylic acid units, and 1 to 47% by weight of (Cl-C18)alkyl (meth)acrylate units. The casing has high water vapor barrier and oxygen barrier characteristics. The shirring folds and lay-flat edges which result during the production and processing of the casing remain undamaged over long storage periods. The inner coating, in addition, shows no hot-water haze on simmering. The casing is particularly suitable as an artificial sausage casing.

Abstract: The invention concerns flat or tubular cellulose-based foodstuff casings which are prepared by extruding (“spinning”) cellulose dissolved in N-methyl-morpholine-N-oxide by means of a nozzle with an annular gap. After extrusion, the casings are stretched transversely in ambient air by blow moulding, and are then treated with an NMMO-containing aqueous spinning bath. The tubular casings are particularly suitable as sausage casings. Cut open, they can also be used as flat foils.

Abstract: A cellulose-hydrate-based food casing impregnated on its inside with liquid smoke which has a pH of about 2 to less than 4 and additionally contains a viscosity-increasing compound, an emulsifier and a triglyceride or lecithin.