Multilayer Food Casing Adhesion and Release Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food casings, particularly fibrous reinforced cellulose casings, face challenges in achieving a balance between adhesion and release properties, leading to issues like case hardening, mold formation, and uneven distribution of adhesion promoters, which affect the productivity and quality of dry and semi-dry sausages during processing.
Innovation Solution
The development of fibrous reinforced cellulose food casings with a multilayer structure incorporating a peeling agent like polyalkylene glycols and an inside film adhesion promoter such as protein coagulants or glyoxals, applied through a double viscose layer technique, to enhance adhesion and release properties while reducing the amount of adhesion promoters used.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesion promoters are applied to ensure sufficient adhesion of casing to sausage, then adhesion is improved, but release becomes difficult and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the casing into multiple layers with different functions: an inner layer containing adhesion promoters for bonding to the sausage, and an outer layer containing peeling agents for easy removal. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function independently, resolving the contradiction between strong adhesion and easy peeling.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the casing are given different properties: the inner surface has high adhesion properties for reliable bonding, while the outer surface has low adhesion properties with peeling agents for easy removal. This local differentiation allows the casing to simultaneously achieve both adhesion and easy peeling.
2Productivity
If higher processing temperatures are used to increase productivity, then drying speed is improved, but case hardening and mold formation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The peeling agents act as intermediaries that prevent direct harmful interaction between the high-temperature drying environment and the casing surface. These agents modify the surface properties to prevent case hardening and mold formation, allowing higher temperatures to be used without damaging the casing.
3Reliability
If chemical agents are used to improve adhesion, then adhesion is enhanced, but the amount of adhesion promoters increases and cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the casing structure into inner and outer layers with different functional compositions, the patent concentrates adhesion promoters only where needed (inner layer) rather than throughout the entire casing. This reduces the total quantity of chemical agents required while maintaining effective adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the casing structure by creating a multilayer configuration with different compositions in each layer. This allows optimization of adhesion promoter concentration in the inner layer while keeping the outer layer simpler, reducing overall chemical usage.
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
This solution provides improved adhesion and release properties, maintaining moisture retention and preventing greasing out, allowing for higher processing temperatures and faster drying without case hardening, thus enhancing the productivity and quality control of dry and semi-dry sausage production.
Implementation Method 1
a peeling agent selected from polyalkylene glycols and any mixtures thereof
Implementation Method 2
an inside film adhesion promoter selected from protein coagulants, proteins, glyoxals, glutaraldehyde, caseins, gelatines, wet strengths resins and any mixtures thereof
Implementation Method 3
applied through a double viscose layer technique
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a multilayer fibrous reinforced food casing comprising a fibrous reinforced layer located between an inside layer and an outer layer; the inside layer comprising an adhesion promoter comprising one or more of protein coagulants, proteins, glyoxals, glutaraldehyde, caseins, gelatines, wet strengths resins and any mixtures thereof; and the outer layer comprising a peeling agent comprising one or more of polyalkylene glycols and any mixtures thereof or the inside layer comprising a peeling agent comprising one or more of polyalkylene glycols and any mixtures thereof; or the outer layer and the inside layer comprising a peeling agent comprising one or more of polyalkylene glycols and any mixtures thereof.