Vegetable casing film and method for production of tubular sausage casings

Abstract

Tubular sausage casings can be prepared from non-animal materials, primarily starches and flours by film-casting followed by gluing with an edible glue composed of konjac and carrageenan. In this way, it has been made possible to prepare non-animal meat casings commercially, that can be used with conventional sausage production technology.

1 . In combination, a vegetable based edible casing film and an edible glue for sealing the folded film into a tubular shape sausage casing. 
   
   
       2 . A combination according to  claim 1 , wherein said casing film is composed of edible vegetable-based polymeric materials consisting of starch and/or flours and, optionally, additional edible polyhydric polymers; water, glycerin and/or propylene glycol, and wherein said edible glue comprises konjac, carrageenan and water. 
   
   
       3 . A tubular material for use as a sausage casing, produced by folding the vegetable based edible casing film of  claim 1  and edge-sealing the folded casing into a tubular shape using the edible glue according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       4 . A tubular casing material according to  claim 3 , wherein said film is composed of edible vegetable-based polymeric materials consisting of a major portion of starch and a minor portion of adjunctive polymeric materials, water, glycerin; and/or propylene glycol. 
   
   
       5 . A tubular casing material according to  claim 4 , wherein said adjunctive polymeric materials are selected from the group consisting of carrageenan, agar, gellan gum and high gelling starches. 
   
   
       6 . A tubular casing material according to  claim 4 , wherein the proportion of the starch to the adjunctive polymeric materials is from 40% to 65% by weight of dry film. 
   
   
       7 . A tubular casing material according to  claim 4 , wherein said minor portion of adjunctive polymeric materials comprises from 15 to 35% by weight of glycerin. 
   
   
       8 . A tubular casing material according to  claim 3 , wherein said edge-sealing comprises the application of heat. 
   
   
       9 . A tubular casing material according to  claim 4 , wherein said edible glue comprises konjac, carrageenan and water. 
   
   
       10 . A sausage casing material produced by shirring the tubular material of  claim 3  on a 1:40 to 1:80 ratio.