Sausage Ripening Casing Water Vapor Permeability Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional processes for ripening raw sausage result in prolonged times to achieve marketable quality, often leading to excessive drying and the formation of dry rims due to high water vapor permeability of casings and inadequate control over humidity levels.
Innovation Solution
Using casings with water vapor permeability of less than 600 g/m2 d and maintaining a relative humidity of up to 60% during the initial ripening phase, preferably with thermoplastic casings like aliphatic polyamides and water-soluble polymers, to delay the isoelectric point and prevent dry rim formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional casings with high water vapor permeability (600-1600 g/m2 d) are used, then water can be released rapidly from the sausage, but excessive drying occurs in the outer regions forming dry rims that retard further drying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the water vapor permeability parameter of the casing from conventional high values (600-1600 g/m2 d) to a controlled lower range (200-600 g/m2 d). This parameter modification allows the casing to regulate water vapor transmission rate, preventing excessive drying at the surface while maintaining adequate water release from the interior, thus eliminating dry rim formation and extending the optimal drying period up to the isoelectric point.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If atmospheric humidity is kept high (>90%) during initial drying phase, then dry rim formation is prevented, but the overall ripening time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the casing with controlled water vapor permeability (200-600 g/m2 d) as an intermediary between the sausage interior and the external environment. This intermediary structure allows the use of lower atmospheric humidity (75-85% instead of >90%) during the initial drying phase, because the casing itself regulates water vapor transmission to prevent surface drying. This enables faster ripening without forming dry rims, reducing the time to reach the isoelectric point.
3Loss of time
If rapid ripening is pursued by adding glucono-δ-lactone to reduce pH quickly, then ripening time is shortened, but the quality and natural flavor are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical acceleration method (adding glucono-δ-lactone to rapidly reduce pH) with a physical control method (using casing with controlled water vapor permeability to regulate moisture loss). This substitution allows the pH to decrease naturally through starter culture fermentation while the casing controls the drying rate, maintaining product quality and natural flavor characteristics while still achieving accelerated ripening by extending the optimal drying period up to the isoelectric point without premature gel formation.
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 approach accelerates the ripening process by at least 24 hours, ensuring a marketable product without dry rims by optimizing water release and gel formation, reducing the ripening time to achieve the desired weight loss efficiently.
Implementation Method 1
casings which have a water vapor permeability of less than 600 g/m2 d
Implementation Method 2
the sausage gives off water which escapes as water vapor through the casing
Implementation Method 3
At the pH 5.3 (isoelectric point of the meat), the meat proteins form a gel which impairs the further release of water
Data Source
AI summary
A process accelerating the ripening of raw sausages by incorporating a casing having a water vapor permeability of less than 600 g/m2 d at a relative humidity of less than 60%. Preferably, the process employs casings having a water vapor permeability of 50 to 400 g/m2 d, more preferably 70 to 300 g/m2 d, particularly preferably 80 to 200 g/m2 d. The process concerns, in particular, single-layered or multilayered casings made of thermoplastics, optionally also coated textile fiber skins or cellulose fiber skins.