Rigid shirred food casing articles (e.g., shirred sticks of casing material) include a cohesion-enhancing solution applied to at least one surface of the casing material. The cohesion-enhancing solution comprises at least one polysaccharide (e.g., dextrin) and a predominantly non-aqueous solvent (e.g., comprising propylene glycol). The coherency-enhancing solution comprises less than 50 wt. % water. Related methods and compositions are also disclosed.

An intestinal tract part processing device includes a carrier for holding the intestinal tract part on the carrier at a first end of the intestinal tract part, and an elongate support member having a longitudinal axis configured for supporting the intestinal tract part on an inside of the intestinal tract part. The support member includes an outer wall and an inner wall, at least one fluid chamber arranged therein between, and a primary fluid connection configured for supplying a fluid to the at least one fluid chamber and/or for discharging a fluid from the at least one fluid chamber. The carrier and the support member are movable relative to each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. The carrier includes a tubular carrying member which is arranged coaxially to the support member on an outer side of the support member.

An apparatus and method for inflating a casing enclosing a sausage stick is disclosed, wherein the apparatus includes a holder configured to receive the sausage stick enclosed in the casing and move together with the sausage stick thereby received from an inflation starting position to an inflation end position, and an inflating needle configured to penetrate the casing of the sausage stick received by the holder and to follow the holder immoveably relative to the holder moving together with the sausage stick from the inflation starting position to the inflation end position to inflate the casing between the inflation starting position and the inflation end position.

An intestinal tract part processing device includes a carrier for holding the intestinal tract part on the carrier at a first end of the intestinal tract part, and an elongate support member having a longitudinal axis configured for supporting the intestinal tract part on an inside of the intestinal tract part. The support member includes an outer wall and an inner wall, at least one fluid chamber arranged therein between, and a primary fluid connection configured for supplying a fluid to the at least one fluid chamber and/or for discharging a fluid from the at least one fluid chamber. The carrier and the support member are movable relative to each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. The carrier includes a tubular carrying member which is arranged coaxially to the support member on an outer side of the support member.