Edible Protein Casing Coextrusion for Sausage Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing edible food casings for sausages face challenges such as high production costs, instability when stored, and inability to be produced by coextrusion during sausage production, which limits their mechanical stability and shape retention during cooking.
Innovation Solution
A food casing made from a non-heat-coagulating protein mixed with a heat-coagulating agent, preferably a protein with high lysine and glutamic acid units, which hardens upon heating, allowing for coextrusion during sausage production and providing mechanical stability without drying or crosslinking with smoke.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If natural casings from sheep or cattle intestines are used, then the casing provides good mechanical stability and shape retention, but import bans or restrictions are imposed due to animal diseases such as Jakob-Kreutzfeld disease or BSE
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses edible casings made from plant-based proteins (pea, soy, wheat) that are designed to be consumed with the food product, eliminating the need for expensive, durable natural casings while avoiding animal disease restrictions. The casing is single-use and biodegradable, aligning with the disposable principle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the casing from animal-based to plant-based proteins, fundamentally altering the material source while maintaining the functional properties of mechanical stability and shape retention needed for sausage production.
2Reliability
If edible casings are produced from cellulose and vegetable protein using the amine oxide process, then the casing is suitable for consumption and free from animal disease restrictions, but it cannot be produced directly during sausage production by coextrusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the casing production process with the sausage production process by using coextrusion technology. The casing and sausage filling are extruded simultaneously in one continuous operation, eliminating the need for separate casing production and manual assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The extrusion system is designed to perform multiple functions: it produces both the sausage filling and the edible casing in a single operation. The coextrusion die allows simultaneous formation of the inner sausage product and the outer edible casing layer.
3Reliability
If collagen casings are produced through alkaline digestion and acidification of raw cattle hides, then edible thin-walled casings are obtained, but the production is relatively expensive and cannot be produced by coextrusion directly during sausage production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges casing production with sausage production into a single coextrusion process, eliminating the need for separate, time-consuming collagen processing steps including alkaline digestion, acidification, and extrusion. This integrated approach significantly improves production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential function of the casing (providing mechanical stability and shape retention) and achieves it through a simplified plant-based protein extrusion process, eliminating the need for complex collagen extraction and processing steps from animal hides.
4Ease of manufacture
If sodium alginate casing is produced by coextrusion and converted to Ca alginate, then the casing provides initial mechanical stability, but the sausage meat contains NaCl which slowly converts the Ca alginate back into Na alginate during storage, leading to destabilization of the hull
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition of the casing from sodium alginate/Ca alginate systems to heat-coagulating protein systems. This fundamental parameter change eliminates the chemical instability caused by ion exchange with NaCl in the sausage meat, as the protein-based casing does not undergo similar conversion reactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat-coagulating protein casing is designed to remain stable during storage and only undergo irreversible structural changes during the final cooking process. The casing provides temporary mechanical support during storage but is intended to be consumed with the cooked sausage, aligning with the disposable concept.
5Strength
If the casing is made from heat-coagulating protein mixed with non-heat-coagulating protein, then the casing hardens upon heating during roasting or grilling, but additional crosslinking with smoke or drying is required to achieve sufficient mechanical stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system combining heat-coagulating proteins (for thermal setting and strength development) with non-heat-coagulating proteins (for film formation and initial structure). This composite approach allows the casing to achieve sufficient mechanical stability through heat coagulation alone, without requiring additional crosslinking steps with smoke or drying processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The casing remains intact and strengthens during roasting or grilling, eliminating the need for stockpiling and ensuring seamless production, with enhanced mechanical stability and shape retention.
Implementation Method 1
The agent which coagulates upon heating or heating and thus contributes to the strength of the shell is preferably a protein with a high proportion of lysine and glutamic acid units. It causes the casing to harden when roasting or grilling the sausage.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an edible food casing, i.e., suitable for co-consumption, based on a non-heat-coagulating protein blended with a heat-coagulating agent. The non-heat-coagulating protein is preferably collagen and/or a collagen derivative, while the heat-coagulating agent is preferably egg white, blood plasma, whey isolate, globin, and/or myosin. The casing can be produced as a flat film. It can also be generated directly around an extruded food product during its manufacture, particularly in sausage production, using a co-extrusion die. The casing is solidified by treatment with an aqueous saline solution, optionally with the aid of transaminase. The food product is preferably a sausage.