Patent GB-887466-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to meat casings
IPC: B29C48/10
Filed: 1958-02-03
Abstract: The surfaces of a fibrous casing for meat, including regenerated cellulose casing, paper coated with viscose which has been regenerated, parchment-, hide- and fibrous alginate-casings, intended to be contacted by encased meat and then stripped off, are subjected to the action of an organic ketene dimer, whereby adhesion of encased meat to the casing is minimised.  Preferred proportions are within the range 0,01-0,2% of the dimer based on the weight of the casing. A number of the ketene dimers are specified; the monomeric ketene of the dimer preferably contains 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the molecule and has an alkyl radical attached to the -CH=C=O group.  Examples are directed to the use of 0,5 and 1,0% aqueous emulsions of an alkyl ketene dimer with about 17 carbon atoms in the ketene monomer, having an apparent molecular weight of about 530, a melting point of 110 DEG F. and a bulk density of about 25 lbs./cu. ft., in admixture with a water-miscible emulsifying agent.  The aqueous emulsion may be applied to sheet material from which the casing is to be formed, or the inside of a tubular casing 1, Fig. 1, may be treated by passing the casing through a slack box 3 with a bubble 4 of the aqueous emulsion in the casing within the slack box; after application of the coating, the casing is heated in a dry atmosphere 10, air being maintained within the casing (as shown by the expanded part in the Figure) for size control, and finally dried at 200 DEG F. for about 5 minutes <PICT:0887466/III/1> <PICT:0887466/III/2> for complete integration of the dimer with the casing.  The aqueous emulsion employed preferably includes 0,5% of sodium bicarbonate since the reaction of the ketene dimer with the casing is effected best at a pH of 7,7-8,0.  In an alternative procedure, a ribbon of paper 11, Fig. 2, which is preferably a long fibre hemp paper weighing 12 1/2 lbs. per ream, passes around tube-formers 15, 16, thence on to a steel mandrel 17, which may have an outside diameter of between 2 and 7 inches, and through a metallic forming ring 19 to maintain the paper in tubular form until it reaches a die 22 at which viscose is applied to the outside of the tube; metal slip rings 22a serve to keep the inside wall of the viscose-impregnated paper tube from scraping against the outside wall of the mandrel 17 as the tube moves downwardly.  The viscose deposited is converted to regenerated cellulose by acid located in a bath 23 and within the mandrel 17; acid for this latter purpose and the aqueous emulsion of ketene dimer are circulated through pipes 31, 32.  The outside surfaces of the casings may optionally be coated with polymeric compositions or other casing materials.ALSO:<PICT:0887466/IV (a)/1> The surfaces of a regenerated cellulose casing, intended to be contacted by encased meat and the stripped off, are subjected to the action of an organic ketene dimer, whereby adhesion of encased meat to the casing is minimized.  Preferred proportions are within the range 0,01-0,2% of the dimer, based on the weight of the casing.  A number of the ketene dimers are specified; the monomeric ketene of the dimer preferably contains 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the molecule and has an alkyl radical attached to the -CH=C=O group.  Examples are directed to the use of 0,5 and 1,0% aqueous emulsions of an alkyl ketene dimer with about 17 carbon atoms in the ketene monomer, having an apparent molecular weight of about 530, a melting point of 110 DEG F. and a bulk density of about 25 lbs./cu. ft., in admixture with a water-miscible emulsifying agent.  The aqueous emulsion may be applied to sheet material from which the casing is to be formed, or the inside of a tubular casing 1, Fig. 1, may be treated by passing the casing through a slack box 3 with a bubble 4 of the aqueous emulsion in the casing within the slack box; after application of the coating, the casing is heated in a dry atmosphere 10, air being maintained within the casing (as shown by the expanded part in the Figure) for size control, and finally dried at 200 DEG F. for about 5 minutes for complete integration of the dimer with the casing.  Since the reaction of the ketene dimer with the casing is effected best at a pH of 7,7-8,0, the aqueous emulsion employed preferably includes 0,5% of sodium bicarbonate.  The outside surfaces of the casings may optionally be coated with polymeric compositions or other casing materials.ALSO:In the production of pre-sliced sausage, e.g. Bologna, spiced luncheon meat and cotto, by stuffing a casing with sausage emulsion, processing the encased product, then removing the casing and slicing the sausage, there is employed a fibrous casing (see Group IV (a)) in which at least those surfaces of the casing intended to be contacted by encased meat have been subjected to the action of an organic ketene dimer, such as 0.01 to 0.2% of the dimer based on the weight of the casing, whereby adhesion of encased meat to the casing is eliminated.  A number of the ketene dimers are specified. In examples, an alkyl ketene dimer is used in aqueous emulsion in admixture with a small amount of a water-miscible emulsifying agent.