METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAUSAGE PRODUCTS USING LIQUID HEATING

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing sausage products by means of co-extrusion, wherein the method comprises the following steps of: A) providing a food dough; B) providing a viscous paste; C) producing by means of co-extrusion a sausage strand with a core of the food dough enclosed by a casing of the paste; D) subdividing the sausage strand into sausage products; and E) guiding the sausage through a fixing bath, whereby the cohesion of the sausage increases.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing sausage products by means of co-extrusion, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing a food dough; providing a viscous paste; co-extruding the food dough and the viscous paste into a co-extruded product with a core of the food dough enclosed by a casing formed by the viscous paste; subdividing the co-extruded product into sausage products; guiding the sausage products through a fixing bath wherein cohesion of the sausage products increases; wherein within 20 seconds following the step of co-extrusion of the co-extruded product, the co-extruded product is heated with a liquid-containing medium in a heating bath having a temperature range of at least 40 C. and lower than 100 C., in which denaturation of proteins of the food dough occurs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature range of the heating bath is within the range of 48 C. to 85 C.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of pasteurizing the sausage products after the step of guiding through the fixing bath.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the co-extruded product is only in the heating bath to the extent that the food dough is not fully coagulated, or the casing is only partly coagulated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the co-extruded product is only in the heating bath to the extent that only a periphery of the food dough is coagulated in comparison to a remainder of the core of the food dough.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of subdividing the co-extruded product into sausage products occurs after the co-extruded product is heated.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of cooling the sausage products after heating the co-extruded product to a temperature at or lower than 7 C.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of cooling the sausage products occurs while the sausage products are in the fixing bath containing an ion-providing liquid.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the ion-providing liquid is formed from a solution of calcium chloride at a concentration between 0.5% by weight to 10% by weight.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a residence time of the sausage products in the fixing bath is between 0.1 to 240 seconds.

11. A method for manufacturing sausage products by means of co-extrusion, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing a food dough; providing a viscous paste; co-extruding the food dough and the viscous paste into a co-extruded product with a core of the food dough enclosed by a casing formed by the viscous paste; subdividing the co-extruded product into sausage products; guiding the sausage products through a fixing bath wherein cohesion of the sausage product increases; wherein within 20 seconds following the step of co-extrusion of the co-extruded product and subdivision into the sausage products, the sausage products are guided into the fixing bath having an ion-providing liquid containing and heated to a temperature range of at least 48 C. and lower than 85 C. in which denaturation of proteins of the food dough occurs.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the temperature range of the heating bath is within the range of 48 C. to 85 C.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the co-extruded product is only in the heating bath to the extent that the food dough is not fully coagulated, or the casing is only partly coagulated.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the co-extruded product is only in the heating bath to the extent that only a periphery of the food dough is coagulated in comparison to a remainder of the core of the food dough.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of cooling the sausage products after heating the co-extruded product to a temperature at or lower than 7 C.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of cooling the sausage products occurs while the sausage products are in the fixing bath containing an ion-providing liquid.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the ion-providing liquid is formed from a solution of calcium chloride at a concentration between 0.5% by weight to 10% by weight.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein a residence time of the sausage products in the fixing bath is between 0.1 to 240 seconds.

19. A method for manufacturing sausage products by means of co-extrusion, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing a food dough; providing a viscous paste; co-extruding the food dough and the viscous paste into a co-extruded product with a core of the food dough enclosed by a casing formed by the viscous paste; subdividing the co-extruded product into sausage products; guiding the sausage products through a fixing bath wherein cohesion of the sausage products increases; wherein within 10 to 30 seconds following the step of co-extrusion of the co-extruded product, the co-extruded product is heated with a liquid-containing medium of at least 70% liquid for firming the co-extruded product in a heating bath having a temperature range of at least 48 C. and lower than 85 C. in which denaturation of proteins of the food dough occurs; wherein the co-extruded product is only in the heating bath to the extent that only a periphery of the food dough is coagulated in comparison to a remainder of the core of the food dough.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of cooling the sausage products after heating the co-extruded product to a temperature at or lower than 7 C.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of the non-limitative exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures. Herein:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram representing schematically the method according to the invention, and

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram representing a number of alternative further processes of the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] FIG. 1 shows that the method according to the invention begins with the transport, designated 1, of a food dough to a co-extrusion head. A paste is likewise transported to the co-extrusion head, this being designated 2. This paste comprises for instance a polysaccharide which has to be formed into a casing during the subsequent co-extrusion process 3. Before co-extrusion process 3 begins (or during co-extrusion process 3) a structure improver 2A is fed to paste 2. Co-extrusion of the food dough with the paste casing supplied in step 2 takes place during co-extrusion process 3. Co-extrusion process 3 is per se known. Not known is that according to one of the methods according to the invention a structure improver is added to the viscous paste during co-extrusion process 3.

[0029] In step 4 the sausage strand obtained with co-extrusion process 3 is then carried through a fixing bath, this fixing bath comprising for instance a calcium salt such as a calcium chloride. As alternative to the fixing bath, the sausage strand can be sprayed with for instance liquid comprising calcium ions. The calcium ions present in the liquid form bonds with the polysaccharide particles present in the casing. A reversible bond is herein made.

[0030] In step 5 the sausage strand meanwhile removed from the fixing bath is cut (divided) such that individual sausages are created.

[0031] During the subsequent step 6 the sausages are heated in a moist environment in order to cook them. It is precisely this moist environment (i.e. an environment with an air humidity of at least 70 or 80%) which results in there being no, or only very limited rehydration during this phase of the production process. According to an embodiment variant of the invention, it is even possible for heating 6 to take place in a liquid containing calcium ions so that the connecting process initiated during gelling 4 is continued during heating 6. There then follows an optional further process 7, and in step 8 the sausages are packed.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram in which a number of further processes are shown which in FIG. 1 are designated generally with reference numeral 7. A first possible further process 10 thus consists of cooling the sausages to a temperature of about 25 C. (5 C.). After such a (limited) cooling 10, the sausages can be vacuum-packed 11 and then pasteurized 12 (for instance by means of the so-called cook-in-pack process). The advantage of only limited cooling of the sausages is that this is advantageous in terms of energy since, after cooling, the sausages are heated again (although in packed state).

[0033] An alternative further process for the limited cooling 10 is formed by further cooling 13 of the sausages to a temperature of 5 C. (5 C.). It is less obvious to reheat the sausages after this further cooling 13. Two advantageous further processes following further cooling 13 are vacuum-packing 14 and gas-packing 15 (i.e. packing under a conditioned atmosphere). It is desirable to cool 10, 13 the sausages quickly in order to increase the storage life. It is otherwise also possible here for the sausage products to also be brought into contact during cooling 10, 13 with a solution providing calcium ions.

[0034] Another alternative further process is formed by (deep-)freezing 16 of the sausages, after which they are packed 17. It will be apparent that, from the viewpoint of increasing the storage life of the sausages, this is a very advantageous variant.

[0035] The final further processing variant shown schematically here is formed by sterilization 18 followed for instance by packing in glass 19 or packing in cans 20.

[0036] The following table 1 shows a number of possible variations in the composition and geometry which can occur in the case of different types of sausage which can be manufactured with a method according to the present invention:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Fresh sausage Frying sausage Frankfurter Ring sausage Meat materials * * * * Water * * * * Salts * * * * Spices * * * * Binders * * * * Mincing/mixing * * * Emulsifying * * * Diameter 18-36 mm 18-30 mm 13-32 mm 22-40 mm Length 50-550 mm 50-550 mm 20-250 mm 100-500 mm Weight 15-560 gram 12.5-390 gram 2.5-200 gram 38-630 gram

[0037] The following table 2 shows a number of possible variations in the composition and geometry which can occur in the case of different types of paste which can be employed in the manufacture of sausages using the method according to the present invention.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 after addition of structure improver Alginate/collagen Alginate paste Collagen paste paste % % % Carbohydrates 0-10 0-5 0-10 (hydrocolloids, starches, sugars etc.) Protein (proteins, 0.1-10 0.5-20 0.5-20 amino acids etc.) Added acid (pH 0-2.5 0-5 0-5 reducers) Fat (oils and fats) 0-10 0-10 0-10 Dry substance 0-35 0-42.5 0-47.5 Salts/minerals 0-2.5 0-2.5 0-2.5 (phosphates, salts, calcium etc.)

[0038] It will be apparent that numerous variations can be made in the above elucidated embodiments without departing from the invention.