Patent ID: 7361392

Claim:
A single-layer smokable tubular oriented and thermally fixed casing for stuffing by pastry food, consisting essentially of a polyamide matrix and a component providing high permeability of the casing with respect to smoke substances and water vapors, wherein said component is a hydrophilic compound in an amount of 4.5-50.0 wt. % of the total weight of the casing, and said hydrophilic compound: i) forms in the polyamide matrix a highly dispersed phase with a linear domain size of 0.1-3.0 μm in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the casing in the polyamide matrix, and ii) is solid and soluble in water at 20° C., wherein the hydrophilic compound is a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyalkyloxazoline, polyalkylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol ethers, polyvinyl ethers, cellulose ethers, and wherein the casing has the water vapor permeability estimated by DIN 53 122-74 of from about 450 to about 515 g/m 2 day and the permeability in respect of phenol of from about 110 to about 160 g/m 2 day, and the tensile strength of from about 148 to about 170 MPa.