WO2006021369A1 - Method for optimally aging and drying spreadable raw sausages or well-aged sausage products - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for optimally aging and drying spreadable raw sausages, such as onion-flavored ground meat sausage, sandwich sausage or well-aged, solid products made from meat and provided in a casing or a packaging, by influencing and setting the water activity value by using moisture-absorbing or moisture-binding substances. According to the invention, the moisture-absorbing or moisture-binding substance is surrounded by a wrapping layer, and this wrapping layer, acting as a temporary barrier, is destroyed or broken open by the action of chemical agents or physical energy in order to initiate the reduction of water in the raw product according to the given conditions.

Description

 Process for optimized ripening and drying of spreadable raw sausages or long-term matured sausage products

description

The invention relates to a method for the optimized maturation and drying of spreadable raw sausages, such as onion sausage, sausage or long-term matured, solid meat products offered in a gut or a sales package by deliberately influencing and adjusting the water activity value by means of moisture-absorbing or moisture-binding substances, according to Preamble of claim 1.

From DE 43 26 688 Cl and DE 44 10 332 Cl a process for the ripening of raw sausages, sausages and similar products with the addition of moisture-absorbing substances is already known. According to this prior art method, moisture-absorbing substances are added in an amount in the raw sausage meat or coarse pieces of meat such that the desired water activity value (aw value) can be set. In addition, the meat is acidified a lot quickly

Starter cultures and / or glucono-delta-lactone added. The crude product is then pre-compressed into water-impermeable molds or casings filled as air-entrapped as possible, the casings being pressed tightly together with compression of the raw material.

Depending on the composition of the Rohbräts a ripening process is then initiated taking into account certain temperatures.

Ausgestaltend the mold or the casing, which surrounds the product, including its contents immediately after filling a negative pressure for venting be suspended.

With a suitable protein-water bond in the material to be treated can be achieved that due to the reduction of moisture or the drying process in the material to be treated effective the moisture required for life is withdrawn. As a result, the treatment material becomes increasingly stable microbiologically. The pH of the treatment At the beginning, the material is in the range of about 5.7 to 6.0 and decreases during the course of treatment to a pH in the range of 4.8 to 5.0. Due to the higher pH at the beginning of the process, the protein-water binding at the beginning of the treatment is relatively high, so that only a very gentle drying may be carried out in this initial phase. If this gentle drying is not sufficiently considered, this can lead to undesirable solidification in the outer region of the material to be treated, which in turn hinders further drying and moisture removal from the interior of the material to be treated, so that overall the maturation process is adversely affected.

In the process according to DE 43 26 688 C1, according to the invention the moisture-absorbing substances, such as e.g. Milk protein or flour, added to the custom-made raw material. In contrast to the hitherto used methods and ripening methods, no release of water during the ripening phase is necessary for ripening since the necessary dehydration is preceded by the addition of moisture-absorbing substances to the actual production process.

As is known, table salt not only has a taste function in meat products, but also lowers the amount of freely available water molecules by forming water shells around the sodium chloride ions and reduces the aw value mentioned above. Microorganisms are thereby prevented from growing in the salted product. In addition, salt ions cause a change in the three-dimensional protein structures such that hydrophobic regions of the protein chains reach the surface. In a hydrophilic, aqueous environment, these lipophilic structures bind to the surface of fat particles and / or other hydrophobic protein structures, creating a stable three-dimensional network upon heating that binds fat and water. Raw sausages, such as onion sausage, vesper sausage, fresh sausage and der¬ same are made from fresh meat material and delivered mainly in perforated or unperforated Sterildärme in small portions to the consumer. A smoking of these sausages does not take place. A drying is hardly or only slightly available.

Are onion sausage, Vesperwurst, fresh Mettwurst or similar products not sufficiently matured and still raw, they are subject to the strict provisions of the minced meat regulation. In the sense of the minced meat ordinance, meat products which have undergone a completed curing process with reddening, and also in connection with drying or smoking, are to be regarded as no longer raw. For raw sausage products, the fermentation must be completed. From these requirements, desired pH values in the range of <5.5, a degree of reddening of> 50% and a sausage-type microflora have been derived for the sausage species mentioned.

According Fleischwirtschaft, Issue 7, 2004, Volume 84, page 41 to 42, reference is made to an optimal ripening technology, according to which by so-called quality addition of the pH in an onion sausage within an hour to a desirable range of about 5.3 to 5.4, so that immediate protection against undesired growth of microorganisms exists. In order to prevent the inadequate spreadability occurring at a low pH, the quality additive described in the article mentioned contains a guar gum thickener. This flour leads to a wrapping of the meat fibers, so that a setting process of the fibers can be prevented and the spreadability is maintained.

It can be seen in a comprehensible manner from the prior art that the water activity value is of great importance on the one hand with regard to the ripening process and the shelf life of raw sausages, but also of long-term ripened sausage products, but on the other hand also the pH value of the water Product, especially after completion of the ripening process, not too strong in the acidic area may slip, otherwise the essential property of the raw sausage, namely a sufficient spreadability suffers. Although the addition of guar gum may serve to improve the otherwise limited spreadability of raw sausage in a meaningful way, but it is technologically extremely complicated to ensure that the addition of flour is actually tasteless.

Also from Fleischwirtschaft, Issue 7/2004, 84th year, pages 45 to 47, the use of functional wheat fibers as fiber in Fϊeischwaren is already known. The special wheat fibers are extracted from the structure-forming parts of the wheat plant by means of a thermo-physical process. The wheat fibers obtained are now not only used for fiber enrichment, but also offer a high water and oil binding capacity due to the fiber structure. The water-binding mechanism of the wheat fiber behaves differently from other binders. The water does not accumulate on the surface of the particle, but is absorbed by the fiber and bound inside by a capillary effect.

Insofar as the water-binding capacity of a wheat fiber is advantageous, however, introducing an amount of fibers necessary in relation to the amount of water to be fixed would lead to an extremely rapid drying of the product, quasi from the inside, so that the necessary maturing process, for which a minimum of Moisture level is necessary, either not initiated or stopped prematurely by lack of desired microbial activities.

From the above, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a further developed process for the optimized ripening and drying of spreadable raw sausages, such as onion sausage, sausage or long-term matured, solid meat product, offered in a gut or in a sales packaging products This method is based on the well-known targeted influencing and adjusting the water activity value and this moisture-absorbing or moisture-binding substances used, but the Feuchtigkeits¬ binding is so feasible that the necessary microbiological activities for the desired maturation process is not prematurely prevented or canceled.

The object of the invention is achieved by a method in its definition according to the teaching of claim 1, wherein the dependent claims contain at least expedient refinements and Weiter¬.

The basic idea of the invention accordingly is to build up a coating material or a microencapsulation between the water-absorbing substances and the raw sausage meat as a temporary barrier, wherein a release of the encapsulated material takes place at a desired, specifiable and / or adjustable point in time, so that the released Material can perform the desired water binding in raw sausage semi-finished product. By then very fast binding of the free water, it is possible to reduce the water activity value (aw) very quickly in the semi-finished product in order to then deprive the micro-organisms of the basis of life of the product in terms of optimum durability.

The raw sausages thus treated thus remain microbially stable and are present in water-permeable natural or artificial casings, but also in other water-impermeable casings, such as e.g. Ready-to-serve packs can be filled and can reach the consumer.

The coating layer acting as a temporary barrier can be destroyed or broken up by the action of chemical agents or by physical energy, in order then to introduce the water reduction according to the given conditions in the crude product.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the coating layer is used as a temporary barrier with a decreasing pH of the raw sausage mass, ie dissolved by changing this mass towards an acidic pH.

Preferably, the coating layer begins to dissolve when falling below a pH of substantially 5.0, whereby the then occurring water binding microbial stability of the crude product occurs and in accordance with the invention holding the pH at a predetermined value. In other words, the invention serves not only the time-controlled or delayed reducing the amount of water in the crude product, but also the prevention of further lowering of the pH with the adverse consequences of a taste impairment or a deteriorated spreadability of the product.

The cladding layer can be formed in one embodiment as inductively heatable and decomposing upon heating mass.

It is also possible to design the cladding layer as a mass which decomposes under the action of an electrical current.

Alternatively, the cladding layer has the property of opening its surface under mechanical or acoustic shockwave influence, so that the moisture-absorbing substance becomes accessible and can fulfill its water-binding function.

The moisture-absorbing or moisture-binding substance may have a fibrous structure and contain cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The fibers used are preferably wheat fibers, the fiber length being in the range between 100 μm and 500 μm.

The fibers used as moisture-absorbing substances are in a combined spraying and drying process with the Envelope layer surrounded and thus configured the Rohwurstmasse buried.

The wrapping material can according to one embodiment of the invention, on the one hand dissolve by time within a defined period, on the other hand break up by inductive heating or by acidification and / or pressure from the fiber dissolve, so that the desired release of water-absorbing substances takes place.

In an alternative, according to the invention, the coating layer may consist of a water-in-fat emulsion. By means of a targeted, only short-term microwave treatment, this coating shell can then be broken open and the moisture-absorbing substance released.

As soon as the envelopes release the water-absorbing substance and it becomes active, no further acidification of the e.g. Raw sausage, so that virtually on the selection and thickness of the cladding layer, an automatically acting control loop can be built, which ensures that even with very different starting materials, the pH does not fall below a predetermined limit. As a result, it is no longer necessary to strip processing material according to the prior art or to select particularly dry raw material, so that the production yield increases with respect to the meat raw material.

In another embodiment of the invention, it is possible to inject the encapsulated moisture-absorbing substances by injection as part of a brine into the crude product to be treated, e.g. also raw ham, bacon or the like, to admit. Alternatively, it is possible to supply the moisture-absorbing substance later, for a meat to be treated by means of heat, such as cooked ham, smoked pork or the like.

The process of the invention is summarized both for the production of spreadable, as well as matured and solid products, such as salami, Cervelatwurst, cut resistant sausage and the like can be used. For the latter product groups, it is not mandatory that fresh material is used. Here it is also possible to process material in the frozen state, provided that a good compression of the raw material takes place. The pH should not be below 4.8. Shelf life is positively influenced by low pH, but taste suffers here. With the lowering of the water activity according to the invention, it is also possible, in addition to the lowering of the pH value, to ensure a desirable product stabilization without the aforementioned influence on taste leading to disadvantages in the sale or to a lower acceptance by the consumer.

Claims

claims 1. A method for the optimized maturation and drying of spreadable raw sausages, such as onion sausage, Vesperwurst or long-matured, solid made of meat material, in a gut or a Sales packaging offered products by deliberately influencing and adjusting the water activity value by means of moisture-absorbing or moisture-binding substances, characterized in that the moisture-absorbing or binding substance is surrounded by a Um¬ layer, said coating layer, acting as a temporary barrier, due to the action of chemical agents or physical Energy is destroyed or broken up to initiate the Wasser¬ reduction according to the given conditions in the crude product. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the envelope is formed as a coating. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the moisture-absorbing or -bindende substance is located in a microencapsulation. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coating layer is dissolved as a temporary barrier with decreasing pH of Rohwurstmasse. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the coating layer when falling below a pH of substantially 5.0 begins to dissolve, wherein the then taking place water binding microbial stability of the crude product occurs and holding the pH on a predetermined level. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cladding layer is formed as an inductively heatable and decomposing upon heating mass. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cladding layer is formed from a decomposing under the action of an electrical current mass. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cladding layer is broken under the action of mechanical or acoustic shock waves. 9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the moisture-absorbing or -bindende substance has a fibrous structure and contains cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that are used as the pulp wheat fibers. 11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the fiber length is in the range between 100 microns and 500 microns.