Patent ID: 6045848
Filing Date: 2000-04-04
Classification: A22C,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for making small diameter skinless sausages comprising:a) deshirring casing from a shirred stick of moisture and smoke permeable food casing adapted for use in stuffing and processing sausages, said casing comprising:an elongated tube having adjacent first and second longitudinal portions wherein at least one colorant or opacifier is dispersed in at least said first portion of said tube to provide it with optical values which are different from the second portion, and wherein the second portion has a transverse width less than that for said first portion and said first and second portions have L, a, b and opacity values as measured by calorimeter using the Hunter color scale meeting at least one of the following conditions:i) an average opacity value of said first portion that is at least about 0.5% units greater than the average opacity value of said second portion;ii) a difference in average opacity between said first portion and said second portion which is less than 10, and a difference between said first and second portion in their respective averages of either said L values or said a values or said b values of at least about 5; oriii) a difference of at least about 10 or greater in average opacity between said first portion and said second portion, and the sum of the absolute values of a and b of the first portion following extraction of said casing with water and methanol is at least 10; andwherein said tube has a tube wall thickness less than about 2.0 mils and a tube circumference less than 115 mm with said second longitudinal portion having an opacity of less than about 5.0% and a transverse width of at least about 3/16 inch;b) stuffing said shirred casing with sausage emulsion as the casing is deshirred;c) cooking and processing the encased sausage emulsion thereby causing a secondary skin to form on a cooked sausage;d) removing said casing from said cooked sausage with a high speed peeling machine; ande) repackaging said peeled sausage.