U.S. patent application number 14/513434 was filed with the patent office on 2015-01-29 for method for manufacturing sausage products using liquid heating.
The applicant listed for this patent is STORK TOWNSEND B.V.. Invention is credited to Frederik Franciscus Leondardus ANKERSMIT, Marcus Bernhard Hubert BONTJER, Martinus Wilhelmus Johannus KUIJPERS, Adrianus Josephes VAN DE NIEUWELAAR.
Application Number | 20150030733 14/513434 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40042870 |
Filed Date | 2015-01-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150030733 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
VAN DE NIEUWELAAR; Adrianus
Josephes ; et al. |
January 29, 2015 |
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.
Inventors: |
VAN DE NIEUWELAAR; Adrianus
Josephes; (Gemert, NL) ; BONTJER; Marcus Bernhard
Hubert; (Aarle Rixtel, NL) ; KUIJPERS; Martinus
Wilhelmus Johannus; (Oploo, NL) ; ANKERSMIT; Frederik
Franciscus Leondardus; (Boxmeer, NL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
STORK TOWNSEND B.V. |
Oss |
|
NL |
|
|
Family ID: |
40042870 |
Appl. No.: |
14/513434 |
Filed: |
October 14, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12991099 |
Jan 28, 2011 |
|
|
|
PCT/NL2009/005292 |
May 26, 2009 |
|
|
|
14513434 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/277 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A22C 11/00 20130101;
A22C 13/0016 20130101; A23L 13/65 20160801; A22C 2013/0023
20130101; A22C 2013/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/277 |
International
Class: |
A22C 13/00 20060101
A22C013/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 26, 2008 |
NL |
2001619 |
Claims
1. 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; characterized in that within 50 seconds, preferably
within 30 or within 10 seconds following co-extrusion as according
to processing step C), at least the outer side of the sausage is
heated with a liquid-containing medium to at least the initial
temperature (T.sub.c1) of the coagulation range (T.sub.c1-T.sub.c2)
of the paste or the food dough.
2. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the sausage
is heated in a liquid bath.
3. Method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the sausage
strand is heated by being guided through a heated fixing bath
during processing step E).
4. Method as claimed of claim 1, characterized in that the sausage
is heated by means of steam.
5. Method as claimed of claim 1, characterized in that the sausage
is heated by a gas flow saturated to at least 80% with liquid.
6. Method as claimed of claim 1, characterized in that the sausage
strand is already heated before beginning the subdivision of the
sausage strand into sausage products as according to processing
step E).
7. Method as claimed of claim 1, characterized in that the sausage
is heated locally to at least 40.degree. C., preferably at least
48.degree. C.
8. Method of claim 1, characterized in that a cooling step takes
place after the heating, wherein the sausage strand is cooled
locally to a temperature lower than 35.degree. C., preferably lower
than 25.degree. C., or more preferably lower than 7.degree. C.
9. Method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the cooling
step consists of cooling in a cooling bath.
10. Method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the cooling
bath comprises positive divalent and/or trivalent ions.
11. Method as claimed of claim 1, characterized in that during the
heating and/or cooling a solution containing a calcium salt is
applied.
12. Method as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the
solution containing a calcium salt applied during the heating
and/or cooling comprises calcium chloride (CaCl.sub.2).
13. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the paste
comprises, in addition to polysaccharide, a protein such as
collagen.
14. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the viscous
paste comprises polysaccharide.
Description
[0001] 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 food dough enclosed by a casing of
the paste; D) subdividing the sausage strand into sausage products;
and E) guiding the sausage strand through a fixing bath, whereby
the cohesion of the sausage increases.
[0002] Such a method is known from, among others, NL 1029272 and
has the drawback that the sausage strand is very vulnerable shortly
after the co-extrusion of the sausage strand, whereby it can easily
deform permanently (for instance due to settling out of the food
dough) and/or permanent marks are made in the casing as a result of
mechanical load, such as loads by transport means (belt marks) in
particular. Conversely, it is essential to keep the casing and the
food dough of the sausage strand sufficiently deformable up to the
moment of subdivision such that during subdivision the sausage
strand is still sufficiently deformable to allow subdivision of the
sausage strand into sausage products in which the casing continues
to at least substantially completely enclose the food dough.
Subdivision is understood to mean separation into sausage segments
(sausage product), for instance by dividing the sausage strand into
individual, i.e. mutually separated, sausage products or by
dividing the sausage strand into mutually connected sausage
products (also referred to as twisted sausages or sausage links).
In order to prevent still fragile sausage being damaged or
deforming in the short time after co-extrusion during the
processing steps following co-extrusion, wherein the casing and/or
the food dough are exposed to various mechanical and thermal loads,
the sausage is carried through an ion-providing fixing bath prior
to heating. A first firming of the casing hereby takes place before
it is subjected to heavier mechanical loads. An additional problem
is that the stability of the casing of the sausage products
decreases over time as a consequence of rehydration. Rehydration is
the result of a reaction between the food dough and the casing. The
effect of rehydration is that the casing gradually disintegrates
over time, with the consequence that it becomes less stable in the
course of time (for instance as a result of moisture absorption
and/or the removal of cross-linker). The increasing cohesion of the
sausage is understood to mean an increased firmness of the sausage
or an increasing form-retention, irrespective of the form of the
sausage at that moment; the term "sausage" includes in this
application both the sausage strand and the divided sausage
products.
[0003] Also from EP 1 834 525 a co-extrusion process for producing
a meat product is known comprising the steps of: providing a food
dough; providing a viscous paste; producing by means of
co-extrusion a sausage strand with a core of food dough enclosed by
a casing of the paste; subdividing the sausage strand into sausage
products; and guiding the sausage strand through a fixing bath,
whereby the cohesion of the sausage increases.
[0004] The present invention has for its object to provide an
improved method for manufacturing sausage products, such as for
instance, though not exclusively, "Bratwurst", Weisswurst",
frankfurters, hot dogs and fresh sausage, of the type stated in the
preamble with which, while retaining the advantages of the prior
art, co-extruded sausages can be manufactured more rapidly and
wherein there is less danger of deformation of or damage to the
sausages than in the prior art. An associated purpose is to enable
the processing of alternative starting materials which have not
been processable heretofore by means of co-extrusion, for instance
because of their lack of sufficient form-retention.
[0005] The insight according to the present invention is that
firmness must be imparted to the co-extruded product more rapidly
than in the prior art. The present invention provides for this
purpose a method according claim 1 with which this desired result
can be obtained.
[0006] The insight according to the present invention that firmness
must be imparted to the co-extruded product in more rapid manner
relative to the prior art can also be applied by a method of the
type stated in the preamble, wherein within 50 seconds, preferably
within 30 or within 10 seconds following co-extrusion as according
to processing step C), at least the outer side of the sausage is
heated with a liquid-containing medium to at least the initial
temperature (T.sub.c1) of the coagulation range (T.sub.c1-T.sub.c2)
of the paste or the food dough. The values of this coagulation
range depend on the materials used. The coagulation ranges of for
instance organic material, cheese and meat products are therefore
different. It is desirable to heat the sausage to at least
40.degree. C., since the coagulation of proteins occurs from this
temperature. The sausage can acquire a greater firmness due to the
coagulation of the casing and/or the coagulation of a part of the
meat dough located at the periphery. It is expressly pointed out
here that the meat dough is not fully coagulated in the first
instance: a sufficient firmness can already be obtained by
coagulating the periphery of the meat dough or the coagulation of
(a part of) the casing to enable further processing (such as
particularly the manipulation of the sausage).
[0007] During the coagulation (larger) molecules lose their spatial
structure and cross-link, whereby they acquire a new, more
form-retaining structure (compare the boiling of an egg, as a
result of which the egg solidifies), and by now making use of this
at an early stage in the production process of sausages a greater
firmness can be imparted relatively quickly to the sausage strand,
with a core of the food dough enclosed by a casing of the paste.
Once again the paste remains readily processable (e.g. extrudable)
as a result of this measure, and use can be made of the same
starting materials. On the other hand, a more rapidly increasing
firmness (and this applies for both of the proposed methods, which
can otherwise also be performed extremely well in combination)
provides the option of processing less firm starting materials. Not
only does this increase the possibilities of applying alternative
recipes (it thus increases product variation options), use can also
be made as desired of less expensive starting materials. Food dough
with a lesser firmness is thus generally cheaper. The denaturation
temperatures depend on the composition of the paste and the food
dough.
[0008] There are multiple options for rapid heating of the sausage
strand or sausages. It can be advantageous to heat the sausage
product in the fixing bath, which is heated for this purpose, or in
another liquid bath. Heating is also possible in a moist
environment, more particularly in a gas flow saturated to at least
80% with liquid. This can be achieved by, among other methods,
adjusting pressure and temperature until this condition is
satisfied. Another advantageous option is to heat the sausage by
means of steam. The presence of such liquid-containing media during
heating make it possible to create a relatively high heating
capacity without the medium acquiring too high a temperature (this
being undesirable because it can result in damage). The high
heating capacity of the medium has the advantage that the heating
can take place relatively rapidly compared for instance to air
heating; and a more rapid heating is precisely what best provides
the advantage sought. The condition of a moist environment can for
instance be obtained in a so-called steam cooker, which provides
the option of controlling the degree of humidity up to saturation
(i.e. a degree of humidity of 100%), by a water bath, a hot-air
oven which--in order to satisfy the set requirements--must be
adapted to control the degree of humility. An additional advantage
of heating in a moist environment is that drying of the sausage
product is prevented.
[0009] In order to shorten the sausage production process as much
as possible and to increase the quality of the sausage, it is
advantageous if the sausage strand is heated with a
liquid-containing medium within 20 seconds of co-extrusion
according to processing step C). This is economically advantageous,
among other reasons because the overall processing time, and
therefore also the length of a required device, hereby remains
limited. Depending on the process conditions, it is likewise
advantageous if the sausage strand is already heated before
beginning the subdivision of the sausage strand into sausage
products as according to processing step E). The point of departure
is the attempt to find the quickest possible firming of the sausage
strand/sausage products. The process conditions, however, represent
a significant limitation here.
[0010] There are thus many variations in the starting materials and
process conditions (type of paste, type of food dough, paste
optionally provided with structure improver, variations in fixing
agent, temperature variation, diameter of the sausage strand, other
dimensions of the sausage, ambient conditions, process steps
required) which also determine when and in which way and to what
temperature the sausage can be heated. A number of examples are
shown in table form below.
[0011] The sausage products resulting from the above stated method
need not be pasteurized; it is readily possible to pasteurize the
sausage products during for instance a later processing step. It is
also noted that the method according to the invention makes it
unnecessary for: the sausage products to be boiled, to be subjected
to a dewatering step or to be subjected to a drying step. This
results in a significant saving in processing time and investment
in "hardware".
[0012] An advantageous method of heating takes place in a heating
bath. In order to improve the storage life of the sausage strand it
is attractive for the temperature of the fixing bath to be higher
than 40.degree. C. This is because at such a temperature the
denaturation of (meat) proteins begins. The heating bath preferably
has a temperature between 48.degree. C. and 85.degree. C. What is
important in the context of the present invention is that the
sausages are in any case not boiled. That is, the ambient
temperature must at all times, and therefore particularly also
(though not exclusively) in the heating bath, remain lower than
100.degree. C.
[0013] It is additionally also possible for a cooling step to take
place after the heating, which cooling step can for instance
consist of cooling in a cooling bath. In order to increase storage
life it is advantageous if, shortly after the heating process, the
temperature of the sausage is reduced to for instance a temperature
lower than 7.degree. C. When the sausage strand is brought after
the fixing bath into contact with an ion-providing liquid, it is
attractive if the function of bringing the sausage strand into
contact with the ion-providing liquid is combined with that of
cooling the sausage strand. A specific embodiment therefore
provides the measure that the cooling bath comprises positive
divalent and/or trivalent ions. In the context of bringing the
sausages into contact with positive divalent and/or trivalent ions
it is possible to opt to realize this in simple manner by providing
the heating bath and/or the cooling bath with a solution of a
calcium salt or an iron salt. In a preferred variant the calcium
salt is formed by calcium chloride (CaCl.sub.2). It has been found
that calcium chloride produces optimum results. Good results can
also be obtained when the calcium salt is formed by a calcium
acetate or calcium lactate. The paste can comprise a
polysaccharide, advantageously formed by alginate.
[0014] Experience has shown that it is of further advantage if the
ion-providing fixing bath is formed by a solution of calcium
chloride at a concentration between 0.1% by weight and 20% by
weight. The flavour is not affected here, or only to a slight
extent. Even better results are obtained when the concentration of
the calcium chloride lies between 0.5 and 10% by weight.
[0015] The results in respect of the contact time between the ions,
particularly at the above stated concentrations, are optimized when
the residence time in the fixing bath lies between 0.1 and 240
seconds.
[0016] Yet another embodiment of the method according to the
present invention provides the measure that the food dough is
composed such that the egress of water is limited. This measure
prevents water egressing the meat into the casing as a result of
water transport during cutting and during the start of the heating
process, and there breaking reversible bonds between the
alginate.
[0017] A specific preferred embodiment of the method provides the
measure that the polysaccharide is formed by alginate, more
particularly by sodium alginate, which is converted into calcium
alginate in the fixing bath and/or heating bath and/or cooling
bath. Although the above elucidated measures are based on the
application of a polysaccharide in the casing of the sausage
product, it is not precluded that the casing of the sausage product
comprises, in addition to the polysaccharide, other coagulating
constituents, such as a protein, in particular collagen.
[0018] A further solution has been found in adding a structure
improver to the viscous paste during the co-extrusion. The viscous
paste can hereby still be manufactured, stored and supplied in the
usual manner but, shortly before or at the moment that the paste is
extruded to form casing round the core of food dough, an additive
is added to the paste. The structure improver can comprise a
chemically acting structure improver, such as for instance a
cross-linker in the form of carbonyl compounds (such as aldehyde)
and/or ions, such as calcium, which bring about fixing.
Alternatively, a water absorber can also be applied which will
generally consist of proteins and/or carbohydrates (hydrocolloids).
With the addition of such a chemically acting structure improver
the chemical process of firming the casing will already begin
shortly before or during the extrusion. The chemical firming
process is thus brought forward as far as possible in time without
this resulting in a reduced processability of the paste such that
the co-extrusion and the result thereof are adversely affected
thereby. It is otherwise noted here that the intrinsic time at
which the action of the structure improver begins can even be
shorter than the period of supply of the chemically acting
structure improver if this takes place before initiating of the
co-extrusion process, particularly when the chemically acting
structure improver is already dissolved in water prior to
addition.
[0019] Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible for the
structure improver to comprise a mechanically acting structure
improver, such as an additional fibre material or other filler,
more particularly a structure improver such as for instance a
protein, a carbohydrate and/or salts such as cellulose, pectin and
collagen. A firming of the paste is in this way realized relative
to the prior art, but then in mechanical manner. It is also
important here that the paste must remain readily processable (e.g.
extrudable).
[0020] Both types of structure improver to be added to the paste
during or shortly before co-extrusion thus have the result that the
overall production time required for the production of sausages
according to the present invention can be shortened, and that a
device adapted for such production can also be given a more compact
form. The production of sausages can hereby take place more
cheaply, and the efficiency of the sausage production will
increase.
[0021] It is desirable for both the stated and optionally
alternative structure improvers that the viscosity of the paste
during co-extrusion lies between 5 and 1250 Newton, preferably
between 10 and 1000 Newton. It is precisely within the part of this
viscosity range which differs from the usual viscosity of 5-500
Newton according to the prior art, i.e. the range of 500-1250
Newton, more preferably the range of 500-1000 Newton, that it is
still found possible to obtain a good extrusion result without the
danger of blockage or fouling of the co-extrusion device.
[0022] The supply of the structure improver to the viscous paste
"during co-extrusion" can be better specified in that it can be
understood to mean that the structure improver is added to the
viscous paste for a maximum period of time before co-extrusion such
that the cohesion of the casing amounts at the moment of
co-extrusion to less than 50%, preferably less than 25%, of the
cohesion of the casing of the finished sausage product. It is
possible here to envisage for instance a period prior to extrusion
of a maximum of 20 seconds, preferably a maximum of 5 seconds, more
preferably a maximum of 2 seconds, before the sausage strand is
actually co-extruded (for instance the moment at which the sausage
strand leaves the extrusion head), that the structure improver is
added to the viscous paste. "During co-extrusion" can also be
understood to mean that the structure improver is mixed with the
viscous paste at the location of or at least a very short distance
(less than one metre) from the co-extrusion device (co-extrusion
head). The invention must also be interpreted such that "food
dough" refers to a meat dough (meat filling) or to other food
doughs which can be processed into sausage. It is possible here to
envisage for instance a vegetarian food dough made up only of
organic material, or a food dough on the basis of cheese or other
ingredients. The firmness of the co-extruded casing can be
determined with a so-called puncture test in which the firmness is
expressed in Newton. The casing firmness in the case of
co-extrusion according to the present methods is 0.1-15 N,
preferably between 0.15 N and 10 N. The thickness of the casing
lies typically between 0.1 and 1.1 mm, preferably between 0.02 and
0.5 mm.
[0023] Examples of materials for the paste and the structure
improver are: proteins such as collagen, gluten and soya;
carbohydrates, hydrocolloids (pectins, alginates and carrageenans);
cross-linkers; and pH-modifying salts which buffer a pH between 2
and 14).
[0024] The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of the
non-limitative exemplary embodiments shown in the following
figures. Herein:
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram representing schematically the
method according to the invention, and
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram representing a number of
alternative further processes of the method according to the
invention.
[0027] 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.
[0028] 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.
[0029] In step 5 the sausage strand meanwhile removed from the
fixing bath is cut (divided) such that individual sausages are
created.
[0030] 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.
[0031] 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.degree. C. (.+-.5.degree. 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).
[0032] An alternative further process for the limited cooling 10 is
formed by further cooling 13 of the sausages to a temperature of
5.degree. C. (.+-.5.degree. 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.
[0033] 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.
[0034] 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.
[0035] 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 Frying Ring sausage sausage
Frankfurter 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
12.5-390 2.5-200 38-630 gram gram gram gram
[0036] 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/ Alginate paste Collagen paste collagen paste % % %
Carbohydrates 0-10 0-5 0-10 (hydrocolloids, starches, sugars etc.)
Protein (proteins, 0.1-10.sup. 0.5-20 0.5-20.sup. 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 .sup. 0-47.5 Salts/minerals
0-2.5 .sup. 0-2.5 0-2.5 (Phosphates, salts, calcium etc.)
[0037] It will be apparent that numerous variations can be made in
the above elucidated embodiments without departing from the
invention.
* * * * *