Abstract: A food casing suitable to impart an apparent smoke color to at least a portion of a food product including the food casing, comprises a food casing having interior and exterior surfaces and a coating comprising caramel and an antiblock agent on at least a portion of one of the surfaces.

Abstract: A tubular food casing is treated with an admixture of an albumin and a modified liquid smoke to provide a casing that is suitable for imparting smoke flavor and intensified smear resistant smoke color to food products processed therein. Alternatively, a casing is treated first with an albumin and then with a modified liquid smoke.This invention relates to methods of treating a food casing and also relates to the resultant improved treated casing, which is suitable to impart smoke flavor and intensified smear resistant smoke color to food products processed therein.In particular this invention relates to a method of coating a fibrous or non-fibrous regenerated cellulose tubular food casing and the resultant casing, which method encompasses coating the internal surface of the casing with an admixture of an albumin such as egg albumin, and a modified liquid smoke, to provide a casing which is suitable to impart smoke flavor and intensified smear resistant smoke color to food products processed therein.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for shirring sausage casings in which in the method the casing is moved in a direction of its longitudinal axis and while so moving has a force applied to shirr the casing which moves about the longitudinal axis of the casing. At the same time that the force is applied to shirr a force also is applied to oppose the movement of the casing. Also, the casing may be restrained against twisting about its axis upstream of the application of the shirring force. The apparatus includes rollers for forwarding a collapsed casing, an annular element adapted to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the casing to shirr the casing and a backing element adapted to hold the forward end of the casing in a fluid, tight manner and having a passage through which an inflating gas may pass to inflate the casing.

Abstract: In apparatus for shirring tubular films, the shirring rollers rotate not only about their own axes but also about the longitudinal axis of the shirring mandrel. This gives increased and more uniform compression.

Abstract: A tubular food casing is treated with an admixture of an albumin and a Maillard reaction product of an amino acid and a reducing sugar to provide a casing that is suitable to impart a smear resistant brown smoke color coating to food products processed therein. Alternatively, a casing is treated first with an albumin and then with a Maillard reaction product.

Abstract: In a method for producing formed collagen structures from collagen compositions, the structures are dewatered before the final drying step, by being passed through a bath containing water soluble anionic polysaccharides that are naturally occurring or formed by de-esterification of polysaccharide esters.Collagen products containing the polysaccharides of this invention are generally obtained by the extrusion of collagen compositions into tubular structures that may be used as casings in the processing of food products such as sausages, frankfurters, and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for bringing amino-type compounds such as amines, amides, imines and proteins, containing --NH.sub.2 and .dbd.NH groups, into liquid form, usually a solution, by reaction with glyoxals. The resulting liquids, which can dissolve further materials such as natural and synthetic fibres, are especially useful as hardeners for collageneous materials used in the preparation of films such as sausage casings. An especially preferred preparation for this purpose comprises an animal hide fibre composition and a precondensate formed from collagen scrap, e.g. waste skin casing or leather scraps, dissolved in a solution of glyoxal.

Abstract: A homogeneous formable aqueous collagen composition having uniformly incorporated therein at least about 5% by weight based on the solids content thereof of an antiblock additive selected from the group consisting of fully esterified fatty acid esters of polyhydric alcohols, mineral oil, and mixtures of the same, said collagen composition being formable into shaped collagen structures that exhibit improved antiblocking characteristics.

Abstract: The extrudable collagen mass of the present invention includes polyoxyethylene sorbitan ester. The additive must be incorporated prior to extrusion of the casing.

Abstract: An improved method of preparing shaped collagen structures is provided wherein a shaped collagen structure such as a tubular food casing is treated with a dewatering solution comprising at least about 0.01% by weight of sodium alginate prior to the drying thereof.

Abstract: An aqueous liquid smoke composition is provided that has a pH greater than 5 comprising a uniform mixture of smoke coloring and flavoring constituents, an alkaline neutralizing agent in an amount sufficient to maintain the composition at a pH greater than 5, and a short chain alcohol solubilizing agent in an amount sufficient to prevent said smoke constituents from separating out.

Abstract: Improved collagen compositions having incorporated therein relatively small amounts of propylene glycol alginate.

Abstract: Edible wreath shaped food casings are produced by a blow-extrusion method in which the inflated extruded tube is fed onto a series of rotating carrier elements whose peripheral velocity is the same as the rate of discharge of the tube from the extrusion nozzle. The carrier elements may be shaped in a variety of ways but the extruded tube is always led onto the first one tangentially. Lifting guides ensure proper transfer of the tube from one carrier element to the next. The method permits the production of thin-walled casings.

Abstract: Dyed edible food casings, e.g., sausage casings, are produced by applying an edible dye to an edible carrier therefor, fixing the dye on the carrier by use of a protein, and admixing the carrier with an edible casing material to form an extrudable composition. That composition is then used for production of the casing by extrusion. The dye can be a water soluble dye, a fat soluble but water insoluble dye, or a water insoluble, alkali soluble dye.

Abstract: A homogeneous, formable collagen composition having uniformly incorporated therein at least about 0.5% by weight up to about 15% by weight based on the solids content thereof of a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of unsaturated fatty acids having more than two double bonds, di and tri-fatty acid esters of a polyhydric alcohol and unsaturated fatty acids having more than two double bonds, natural oils containing fatty acid esters with at least 11% by weight of the fatty acid residues thereof having more than two double bonds, fatty acid esters of an unsaturated fatty acid and an unsaturated fatty alcohol, and mixtures of the same, said collagen compositions being formable into shaped collagen structures that exhibit improved strength characteristics.

Abstract: A method of preparing collagen fibre dispersions comprising treating a collagenous material such as hide corium with a solution containing an alkaline earth metal hydroxide and an alkaline earth hydroxide; coarsely dicing or mincing the collagen, and mechanically dispersing the diced or minced collagen to achieve longitudinal separation of the collagen fibres; the dicing or mincing of the collagen being controlled such that at least 95% by weight of the collagen fibres in the dispersion are retained after neutralization on a 297 micron U.S. standard sieve.

Abstract: A process for producing sausage casings is provided, wherein strips of intestine which have been rendered porous and sticky are joined with overlapping edges on a mandrel, and dried, at least the edge of the stuck product being dried and its stickiness being decreased only to the extent that the intestine material can be moved along the mandrel as a tube, whereafter the operation is repeated using this edge as joining element, and after the desired length of casing has been obtained, the still sticky part thereof is dried completely. If desired, casings can be made of two layers of strips or of one layer of strips with a proteinaceous coating in which case in each sticking operation a single-layer edge is used as joining element, while furthermore, a netting can be applied between two layers of intestine strips or between such a layer and a proteinaceous coating.

Abstract: A preparation is disclosed herein which may be used for making shaped articles, particularly for making tubular films for the packaging of sausages. The preparation comprises collagen and a precondensate, which precondensate comprisesA. one or more structural units derivable from a compound containing at least one amine group, andB. one or more structural units derivable from a compound containing at least one aldehyde group and/or one or more structural units derivable from a polyhydroxy compound.Also disclosed are a process for making the preparation, a method of making a shaped article from the preparation, and shaped articles so made. The collagen used is advantageously contained in an animal hide fibre composition.

Abstract: Aqueous dispersions of swollen hide collagen suitable for extrusion into tubular food casings are prepared by dispersing finely comminuted collagen particles at a concentration of 2-8% by weight in water. Swelling of the collagen particles is effected by adjusting the pH of the dispersion to between 2.5 to 3.7 with a mixture of a strong acid having a dissociation constant in water at 25.degree. C of greater than 1 .times. 10.sup.-.sup.3, e.g., sulfuric acid, and a weak acid having a dissociation constant in water at 25.degree. C between 1 .times. 10.sup.-.sup.6 to 1 .times. 10.sup.-.sup.3, e.g., lactic acid.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a process for threading an edible collagen casing through an elongated dryer wherein the casing is inflated with a gas, sealed at an end for maintaining said gas in said casing, and then passed through the dryer. The improvement in the process resides in injecting a gas-forming material selected from the group consisting of a water-immiscible liquid having a boiling point of from about 10.degree. - 70.degree.C. at atmospheric pressure, a solid sublimable at a temperature below about 70.degree.C. at atmospheric pressure, and a solid or liquid which is decomposible at a temperature below about 70.degree.C. at atmospheric pressure into the bore of the casing prior to introducing the casing into the dryer. The elevated temperature maintained in the dryer causes the gas-forming material to vaporize, sublime, react, or decompose to a gas and thereby inflate the casing. The material is added in a proportion sufficient to inflate the casing to a predetermined pressure.

Abstract: An improved process for tanning edible collagen food casings wherein the coagulated and washed collagen casing is exposed to a tanning bath which is free of aluminum chelating reagents and contains a mixture of aluminum ammonium sulfate, as A1NH.sub.4 (SO.sub.4).sub.2. 12H.sub.2 O and monobasic aluminum sulfate (A10HSO.sub.4), the concentration of the aluminum ammonium sulfate in the bath being less than 3% by weight and the molar ratio of aluminum ammonium sulfate to monobasic aluminum sulfate being in the range of 1:2 to 2:1.

Abstract: A water-resistant printed mark is applied to collagen food casings using an edible printing ink comprising a pigment dyestuff, a liquid vehicle, and a cross-linkable substance. After application of the ink mark, the tube is subjected to a heating and/or tanning treatment to effect cross-linking and render the mark water resistant.

Abstract: A dyed edible food casing is produced by effecting dyeing prior to filling of the casing. The edible dyestuff is incorporated, as such or in encapsulated form, with the raw composition awaiting extrusion. Instead, the extruded tube is itself dyed. Water-resistance is imparted to the dyestuff by admixing a cross-linkable substance.

Abstract: A process is provided for preserving natural intestines by treating the intestines with a mild alkaline or acidic solution, followed by drying, preferably in stretched condition. The invention also provides the possibility of combining two or more intestines by drying the treated intestines in a position with overlapping edges.

Abstract: A homogeneous formable aqueous collagen composition having uniformly incorporated therein at least about 1% by weight based on the solids content thereof of an antiblock additive selected from the group consisting of fatty acid partial esters of a polyhydric alcohol, acetylated fatty acid partial esters of a polyhydric alcohol, and mixtures of the same, said collagen composition being formable into shaped collagen structures that exhibit improved antiblocking characteristics.

Abstract: Dyed edible food casings, e.g. sausage casings, are produced by applying an edible dye to an edible carrier therefor, fixing the dye on the carrier by use of a protein, and admixing the carrier with an edible casing material to form an extrudable composition. That composition is then used for production of the casing by extrusion. The dye can be a water soluble dye, a fat soluble but water insoluble dye, or a water insoluble, alkali soluble dye.