AU752972B2

AU752972B2 - Method for manufacturing smoke/cooked sausage

Info

Publication number: AU752972B2
Application number: AU43114/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jaap Kobussen; Jos Kobussen; Mart Kobussen
Original assignee: Marel Meat Processing Inc
Current assignee: Marel Inc
Priority date: 1998-05-26
Filing date: 1999-05-24
Publication date: 2002-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 2019-05-24
Also published as: WO1999060870A1; CA2294957A1; JP2002516074A; KR100346814B1; BR9906507A; KR20010052055A; AU4311499A; AR018377A1; EP0999758A1

Description

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SMOKE/COOKED

SAUSAGE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the industrial manufacturing of smoke/cooked sausage.

Smoke/cooked sausage herein means sausage types which are produced by heat treating encased fresh (uncooked) sausage meat, for a period of time to impart coagulation of all meat protein within said sausage, and are smoke treated to impart flavor and taste. Said set cooking time can be up to 3 hours depending on cooking method and sausage diameter. The sausages are produced in a diameter range of 6-45 millimeters.

These smoke/cooked sausage types are to be distinguished from cured '"sausage types, which are longer thermally treated at lower temperatures.

Examples of cured sausage types are dried and semi dried sausage such as summer sausage, cervelat, chorizos, pepperoni and beef salami.

S 20 The sausage of this invention is also to be distinguished from fresh sausage types, not cooked and cured, such as country style pork sausage, pork breakfast sausage and chorizos.

Typical smoke/cooked sausage to which this invention pertains are frankfurters (wieners), hot-dogs, and Vienna sausage, hereafter referred to as 25 "smoke/cooked sausage".

*...Fresh meat compositions used for smoke/cooked sausage may be stuffed into natural or prefabricated edible casing. Alternatively the fresh meat may be stuffed into an in-edible casing which is removed after heat and smoke treatment. These "peeled" sausage types are referred to as skinless sausage.

Often cellulose casing is used.

WO 99/60870 PCT/US99/11433 Another method of production may involve the co-extrusion of the fresh meat emulsion with a casing forming material. In this method a strand of sausage material is produced which has an inner core of meat emulsion having an outer surface material that can be coagulated to provide an encasement for the strand. The outer surface material may consist of a gel with a collagen protein. The coagulation normally includes subjecting the extruded strand to a brine (salt) solution. The term "coagulation" as used herein refers to the step of hardening and stabilization of the casing. This is principally done in two ways; first, by removal of water from the collagen gel, and second by crosslinking the collagen fibers. Recently coextruded sausage production has become more popular over pre-formed casing production as it is found more cost-effective.

After the fresh sausage meat is encased by stuffing or co-extrusion, the smoke/cooked sausages undergo a thermal and a smoke treatment.

The further treatment of the encased still fresh sausage may be "horizontal" or "vertical". Vertical processing involves the hanging of the sausage onto sticks. Smaller sausages are often processed as a string and looped onto a stick. Those sticks are then placed onto smoke trolleys or into continuous (heat-) processing chambers. Horizontal processing involves the sausages laying flat during the heat/smoke treatment. For instance on racks or a conveyor-system. Most often horizontally processed sausages are cut into individuals before undergoing heat/smoke treatment. A typical; treatment time for smoking and cooking a frankfurter sausage (with diameter 19 millimeter) is between 50-75 minutes.

It has always been a desire of sausage producers to limit the processing times. Shorter processing times relate directly to lower processing equipment and production storage costs. However there are limitations in shortening the processing times. Essential for all smoke/cooked sausage types is that the inner core of the sausage reaches a certain temperature to make the sausage shelflife stable and safe to eat. This temperature is above 120 0 F, normally towards 150-155 0 F. The amount of energy required to do this, must be WO 99/60870 PCT/US99/11433 imparted to the sausage gradually, in order not to destroy the sausage shape or appearance casing breakage can occur.) Often therefore sausage heating starts at relatively low temperatures and relatively low humidity to coagulate the meat proteins on the surface of the sausage. Whereafter the cooking temperatures are increased and often higher humidities f.i. steam is used to prevent excess weight loss.

Also for many smoke/cooked sausage types a very tender casing type is required. For instance, the popular American hot-dog, is most often made in cellulose (inedible) casing, which is peeled off after cooking to provide a very tender bite. Edible casing types need to have a certain thickness to withstand their manufacturing processes and the stuffing with sausage meat. The wanted casing tenderness cannot be reached for most smoke/cooked types sausage.

Some methods of co-extruding sausage U.S. 3,622,252 assigned to Bradshaw et al) propose the making of smoke/cooked sausage. However, the smoking and heating times are comparable to stuffed sausage types. Also the coextruded casing needs further stabilization of the casing after brinecoagulation. This is done by air drying the casing which adds to the heat/smoke treatment time.

Alternative methods to stuffing casing or coextruding casing, are proposed to decrease the product treatment time of smoke/cured sausages. For instance there are processes that the sausage is cooked within its packaging.

Most often the sausages are vacuum-packed which then is put under high temperatures or put in hot or boiling water. Alternatively encased sausage may be put in boiled water or fried. Another method is disclosed in GB 2,156,727. This method uses an acid liquid to coagulate the outer surface of a sausage to form a casing, before heat treating. However, these methods result in different sausage appearance, as opposed to encased sausages, and are therefore only scarcely used in sausage production processes.

Newly developed methods of co-extruding sausage, as described in copending application U.S. patent Application serial No. 08/990,619 filed 3 WO 99/60870 PCT/US99/11433 December 15, 1997, can be applied in a novel manner to provide a method for manufacturing smoke/cooked sausage with unprecedented short processing times in combination with high processing yield. Also this method of manufacturing smoke/cooked sausage may provide a similar tender casing as is done in often used wasteful methods of manufacturing skinless sausage.

The newly developed co-extrusion method provides a much better moisture barrier than until hereto known coextrusion methods or pre-formed casings. Probable cause of this is that the improved coagulation method involves the process of crosslinking the co-extruded casing to meat proteins in the sausage batter. This adheres the casing to the meat, providing thereby a moisture barrier which enables heating at higher temperatures than before.

Also as opposed to other sausage co-extrusion methods, such as disclosed in GB 1,232,801, the coating on the sausage does not require air (-heat) drying. In GB 1,232,801 the sausage needs to undergo air-drying to stabilize after coagulation with a brine solution. This of course adds to the heat/smoke processing times.

However, the above method does not disclose a method of application for smoke/cooked sausage, within shorter heat/smoke-processing times.

Normal application methods of this smoke flavor is made during heat treatment in smoke-chambers. The sausages, usually hanging on sticks, are placed in a relatively long smoking and cooking cycle to get the desired smoke flavor and color. Liquid smoke, which is a condensate of regular smoke, may be used to give a faster and more effective smoke flavoring. This is then usually sprayed on the sausage surface after co-extrusion or stuffing. Liquid smoke may also be applied in other manners, f.i. as a coating on the inner wall of prefabricated casings. (See for instance U.S. Patent 5,238,442.) These methods of applying smoke to the sausage do not suffice for the production of smoke/cooked sausage in a timely manner which is the object of this invention.

P:\OPER\Axd\2252023.resI.doc-0 9 /07/02 Advantageously, the invention provides a new method for manufacturing smoked/cooked sausage wherein above cited disadvantages are substantially reduced.

The invention advantageously reduces smoking and cooking times of these sausages and increase yield (reduce weight loss) during production of smoke/cooked sausage.

Advantageously the invention further provides an industrial method of manufacturing smoke/cooked sausage with substantially reduced processing equipment costs.

Still further the invention advantageously provides a smoke/cooked sausage with a tender casing, without the use of a temporary casing eliminates the offal and waste problems related to the production of skinless sausage.

Advantageously the invention also provides a method of manufacturing smoke/cooked sausage with reduced energy and capital costs.

15 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a process for manufacturing smoke/cooked sausage comprising the steps of: preparing a meat containing composition; co-extruding said composition through circular die with a casing forming material to create substantially uniform layer of a casing forming material around an inner strand of meat composition; coagulating said layer of casing forming material to form a composite strand of sausage comprising the inner strand of meat composition and the casing; and heat **treating the composite strand within 15 minutes thereafter, wherein the heat treatment o starts with a stabilization phase prior to a finishing phase, said stabilization phase having a lower average wet bulb temperature than the finishing stage.

There is also provided smoke/cooked sausage when manufactured by the process of .the immediately preceding paragraph.

The present invention discloses a production method for smoke/cooked sausage which advantageously provides shorter processing times and higher yield. A meat composition, preferably containing a smoke flavoring, is co-extruded with a casing 0 forming material. The casing forming material is coagulated whereafter the sausage strand .may be crimp/cut and the sausages are heat treated within 15 minutes, for example on a P:\OPER\A, d\2252023 oI.doc4(0/07Ai2 horizontally conveying belt. The heat treatment consists of a "dry heat" phase prior to finishing phase.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENT

This invention, in certain embodiments, contemplates that the most effective way to co-extrude a meat mixture containing a smoke agent, is when the meat flavor and color are instantaneously homogeneously established throughout the sausage. In this manner the smoke flavor and color depend less upon migration in the sausage during processing. The smoke agent is preferably a liquid smoke mixed into the meat batter as an ingredient. More preferably the smoke agent is a dry smoke, which is a dry powder derived from dewatering liquid smoke. Even more preferred is the use of a encapsulated dry smoke, whereby the functional properties of the smoke are released only upon heating the meat batter.

The best results are obtained when the smoke flavor is imparted in a combined manner. Firstly, a liquid smoke mixed with the collagen gel prior to co-extruding said gel with the meat batter. The liquid smoke thereby has a double function; to crosslink the collagen fibers (assist coagulation of the casing forming material) and to impart a smoke browning on the sausage surface. Other functional ingredients as colorants may also simultaneously be applied in this manner. Secondly, a liquid or dry smoke is mixed into the meat batter.

It is also an aspect of this invention to horizontally further process these 20 sausages as they are crimp/cut into individual links from the continuous coextruded sausage strand. Currently most smoke/cooked sausages are hung onto sticks for further heat and smoke processing. This is done because for the required processing times this was found the most efficient manner to process these sausages. Horizontal processing methods are often found too expensive.

25 For instance a normal frankfurter sausage casing in a temporary cellulose casing, produced on conventional machines can be produced up to 4000 kg./h.

A standard 19 mm Frankfurter sausage has a heat/smoke processing time of between 40 minutes and 1h15 minutes. This means 2700. 5000 kilogram of sausage are to be heat processed at a time. The costs involved in a horizontal smoke cooking chamber, outweighs the method of looping the frankfurter Agent's Reference 1 3492 086672 sausage as a string of sausages on a stick and hanging these manually onto smoke trolleys or into a continuous cook/smoke chamber.

With the use of the current invention the transportation of the sausages on a (normally a wire mesh) belt through the cooking process, is much more economical. A typical processing time is 6 minutes, so only 400 kg. of sausage, needs to be supported during said processing. In this equation the labor costs and raw material costs (casing and product waste) related to hanging and de.

hanging, are higher than the automated option of horizontal processing.

Another advantage of processing in a horizontal manner is that the i0 necessary casing thickness or strength for processing is reduced. Normally the mechanical action involved in vertical processing requires very strong (thick) casing. Therefore often a temporary (cellulose) casing is used. Horizontal processing according to this invention, makes it possible to produce skinless alike sausage with a tender bite, eliminating the need for temporary casing.

During the "horizontal" heat/smoke processing the sausages are preferably rotated along their longitudinal axis to prevent belt-marks on the sausage surface. This is preferably achieved by simply vibrating (shaking) a part of the transportation belt. The rotational movement of the sausage doesn't have to be continuously, it may be limited to only one or a few movements during the S 20 heat treatment. Other methods of achieving this may be, letting the sausage roll a decline in a conveying belt system, or rolling the sausages by means of pressurized air.

The heat treatment may consist of several steps and may consist of dry treatment (low humidity), steam cooking and/or using hot water (bath). The 25 present invention is characterized by a heat treatment of less than 15 minutes.

SFrankfurter types of sausage are predominantly in the diameter range of 17 24 mm. Normal processing times of a 19 mm. frankfurter sausage until hereto is normally about one hour.

The method of heat treating the smoke/cooked sausage type uses two short processing phases; first a "dry heat step" followed by a "finishing phase". The dry heat eq ives a heating step where the 7 WO 99/60870 PCT/US99/11433 sausages are heated at a wet bulb temperature which is lower than the subsequent, finishing phase. This dry heat step is preferably between 0.5 and minutes in length.

The finishing phase, in which the sausages are heated at a higher relative humidity than during the dry heat step, such as with steam for a period of 3-10 minutes.

The rationale behind these two steps is that the first dry-heat step stabilizes the shape of the sausage product, enabling the rapid energy influx during the finishing phase. Combining these two steps gives an unprecedented low heat/smoke processing time and low weight loss, as the examples below will indicate.

EXAMPLE 1.

Production of a 19 mm. frankfurter (hot-dog) sausage.

Meat batter composition: 50% lean pork beef 20% fresh fat pork Seasoning (slat, cumin, garlic, etc.) 0.2% "dry smoke" (Hickory Specialities, Inc.) WO 99/60870 Extrusion: PCT/US99/11433 Extrusion Speed: Brine: Brine contact time: Gel composition: 0.5 m/s 80% H 2

PO

4 at 45 seconds 3,8% collagen, 0.9% cellulose fiber, lactic acid, hydrochloric acid, balance

H

2 0.

4.0% on meat batter by weight.

5% on gel by weight Gel usage: Liquid Smoke: The co-extruded sausage strand was crimp/cut into individual sausages after (brine-) coagulation, and were transferred into a horizontal Oven, Manufacturer Stein.

Dry heating: time: dry bulb: 300°F wet-bulb: 150°F 2 minutes Wet heating (finish cook): Steam 212°F time: 3 minutes Weight loss was measured by weighing the individual sausages before and after the heat treatment. Weight loss was average 0.2% (weightbefore/weight-after x 100%).

Agent's Reference 1. 492 086672 EXAMPLE 2.

Same meat batter and extrusion settings, for a 22.5 millimeter diameter smoke/cooked sausage.

Heat processing time: Dry heating: dry bulb: wet-bulb: 300OF 150OF time: 2 minutes Wet heating (finish cook): Steam 212°F time: 5 minutes

S

*5 *S S S

S

Weight loss less than 0.3%.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

0 00..

4

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing smoke/cooked sausage comprising the steps of: preparing a meat containing composition; co-extruding said composition through circular die with a casing forming material to create a substantially uniform layer of a casing forming material around an inner strand of meat composition; coagulating said layer of casing forming material to form a composite strand of sausage comprising the inner strand of meat composition and the casing; and heat treating the composite strand within 15 minutes thereafter, wherein the heat treatment starts with a stabilization phase prior to a finishing phase, said stabilization phase having a lower average wet bulb temperature than the finishing stage.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein said stabilizing phase lasts between and 5 minutes. 15 3. A process according to claim 1, wherein said finishing phase involves heating the inner strand of the sausage above 120F.

4. A process according to claim 3, wherein said finishing phase lasts for 1-14 o° minutes.

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein said meat containing composition incorporates a smoke flavoring agent.

6. A process according to claim 5 wherein the smoke flavoring agent is a liquid smoke, a dry smoke and/or an encapsulated dry smoke. S7. A process according to claim 1, wherein said casing forming material contains collagen. S 25 8. A process according to claim 7, wherein said collagen is acidified using an inorganic acid.

9. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said casing forming material has a dry matter content of between 3-25%. A process according to claim 1, wherein said casing forming material is 3 subjected prior to extrusion with a coagulation agent.

11. A process according to claim 1, wherein the coagulation takes place by a P:\OPER\Axd\2252023.resl.do.09/O7/02

12- coagulation agent liquid smoke. 12. A process according to claim 1, wherein the coagulation method involves the use of salts having a minimum solubility of 8 moles per liter at 20 0 C.

13. A process according to claim 1, wherein the sausage strand is crimped to form links of sausage after coagulation.

14. A process according to claim 1, wherein the sausage strand is heat treated while in a horizontal position. A process according to claim 14 wherein the sausage strand is turned over in order to expose the sausage surface equally to the heat treatment.

16. A process according to claim 1, wherein the sausage strand is cut to form links of sausage after coagulation.

17. A process substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the Examples.

18. Smoke/cooked sausage manufactured by a process according to any one of 15 the preceding claims. DATED: 9 July, 2002 by DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant(s): TOWNSEND ENGINEERING COMPANY byDAoooOLIO CV Paet°oonesfr h Aoiano) ooo. OWSN NGNEIG O PN go *go• oo* o.