SMOKEBLENDS AND RELATED PRODUCTS

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to smoke flavorings and colorants.

BACKGROUND In the manufacture of meat products, for example hot dogs, sausages, or frankfurters, it is often desirable to apply various coatings such as flavor enhancers or food colors onto the product. One such example of a flavor enhancer and food color is liquid smoke. Liquid smoke may be an aqueous solution of natural wood smoke constituents prepared by burning a wood, for example hickory or maple, and capturing the natural smoke constituents in water. Alternatively, the liquid smoke may be derived from the destructive distillation of wood, that is, the breakdown or cracking of the wood fibers into various compounds which are distilled out of the wood char residue.

Such liquid smokes may be used to impregnate the inner or outer wall of food casings such as cellulosic food casings, and then transfer smoke colorant and/or flavor to food stuffed in the casing during processing. During this processing, the active constituents of the impregnated liquid smoke impart colorant and flavor to the encased food. In some methods of manufacture, these flavor enhancers and/or food colorant are applied to a casing of the meat product, for example, prior to shirring of the casing. Transfer of the flavorant and/or colorant may occur gradually over time or rapidly during processing, such as by cooking. For example, if liquid smoke is applied to the casing, the food product within the casing can take on the fragrance, color, and taste of wood smoke without actually being subjected to a time consuming smoke house process. Coating a small size casing with liquid smoke can cause difficulties during the shirring process. In particular, application of liquid smoke prior to shirring can cause the food casing to have a blemished appearance, for example a striped pattern visible on the casing. Without wishing to be bound by this theory, in some instances, during the shirring process (which includes a folding and pleating of the casing), the liquid smoke can be forced out of the folded areas and into the pleats, causing an uneven application of the liquid smoke onto the casing.

SUMMARY

Applicants have discovered a method of making an unreinforced cellulosic casing which imparts a smoke flavor and colorant on finished food product (e.g., sausages or hot dogs) thereby eliminating or reducing the need for conventional smoking of the food product such as wood burning, or treatment with liquid smoke (e.g., spray or dip treatment) or a combination of smoking and treatment of the food product with liquid smoke.

Prior attempts to apply standard smoke solutions to an unreinforced cellulosic casing (e.g., a skinless casing or cellophane casing) generally gave products having a colorant development that is too light or various types of color inconsistencies due to uneven application and trapping of the smoke in the shirring pleats. Increasing the amount of smoke added to the casing generally did not help, but instead resulted in soft and fragile strands.

Applicants have addressed these problems by blending two different types of smoke (e.g., refined smoke). Without wishing to be bound by this theory, it was discovered that the combination of two smoke products more effectively dissolve the smoke components, resulting in a smoke composition that 'migrates' into and across the casing product. Over time the smoke flows to equilibrate the loading in the strand. The result is a finished sausage that is uniform in colorant and flavor. In general, one smoke composition is a low moisture/high colorant acid smoke which allows reaching a saturation point in colorant development. A second smoke composition is generally a highly refined smoke that imparts a medium colorant but has about a 70%+ water content. The second smoke is also generally highly water soluble and migrates in the casing along with the water, which enhances the evenness and distribution of the smoke in the casing. The blending of the two smokes, in some embodiments, provides a higher level of smoke colorant development while introducing enough moisture to make a strand that will endure the mechanical stress of shirring and stuffing.

In one aspect, the invention features a method of making a coated food casing, the method comprising; first coating an unreinforced cellulose casing with a liquid smoke blend composition, the liquid smoke blend composition comprising a first liquid smoke composition and a second liquid smoke composition; and

then shirring the unieinforced cellulose casing.

In one embodiment, components of the liquid smoke blend composition are soluble over a range of pH from about 7.0 to about 2.0, for example, over a range of pH from about 5.5 to about 3.5 or over a range of pH from about 4.0 to about 4.5. In one embodiment, the first liquid smoke composition and the second liquid smoke composition are blended in a 1:1 ratio.

In one embodiment, the liquid smoke blend composition is sprayed onto the casing, the casing is dipped into the liquid smoke blend composition, or the liquid smoke blend composition is coated onto the casing using a slug. In one embodiment, the casing is not further subjected to conventional smoking after shirring and/or the casing is not further subjected to a treatment with liquid smoke after shirring.

In one embodiment, the first liquid smoke composition is Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320. In one embodiment, the second liquid smoke composition is Mastertaste Zesti

Advantage.

In one embodiment, the first and second liquid smoke compositions migrate into the casing prior to shirring.

In another aspect, the invention features shirred unreinforced cellulose food casing, comprising a liquid smoke blend composition, the liquid smoke blend composition comprising a first liquid smoke composition and a second liquid smoke composition

In one embodiment, the first and second liquid smoke composition were applied to the food casing prior to shirring of the food casing. In one embodiment, the food casing is not further subjected to a smoking process.

In one embodiment, the first liquid smoke composition is Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320.

In one embodiment the second liquid smoke composition is Mastertaste Zesti Advantage.

In one embodiment, the first and second liquid smoke compositions have migrated into the casing.

In one embodiment, the casing is a regenerated cellulosic casing.

In one aspect, the invention features a method of making a smoke flavored food product, the method comprising; first coating an unreinforced cellulose food casing with a liquid smoke blend composition, the liquid smoke blend composition comprising a first liquid smoke composition and a second liquid smoke composition; then shirring the food casing; and after shirring the food casing, stuffing the food casing with a food product.

In one embodiment, the food product is a hot dog, a sausage, or a frankfurter.

In some embodiments, the combination smoke composition gave an enhancement on the finished food product (e.g., sausage or hot dog) whereby the final sausage was more uniform in final smoke colorant after cooking, not showing typical spider webbing resulting from shirring spray patterns, because the browning function was effective over the entire surface.

As used herein cellophane casing refers to a casing typically used on but not limited to a small food product, for example a hot dog, frankfurter or sausage.

Generally, a cellophane casing is an unreinforced casing product, i.e., is unreinforced with paper.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and from the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Applicants have discovered that a combination of different smoke compositions can enable a higher loading of smoke composition (up to double from normal) on an unreinforced cellulosic casing such as a cellophane product. The higher loading, in some instances is due to a better solubility of the browning agents in the smoke composition, thereby increasing the capacity and equilibrium in the resulting casing product. In some instances, this improvement occurred without damaging the casing. Applicants have also discovered a combination smoke composition having improved solubility present over a broad pH range. This improved solubility over a pH range can be important because the solution often needs to follow a pH pattern to ultimately become a buffered pH controlled composition. Cellophane casing exposed

to extremely low pHs, i.e. 2.5 or less, can become brittle on aging. Smoke adjusted to a pH range higher than 6 can be subject to the precipitation of smoke tars. Smoke compositions

The smoke compositions described herein are a combination of two commercially available smoke compositions. In general, the combined smoke composition has solubilized components that remain solubilized over a range of pH used in processing of food products and food casings.

In general, the combined pH of the smoke blend combination is an acidic pH, for example, a pH of less than about 5.5 (e.g., 5.4, 5.3, 5.2, 5.1, 5.0, 4.9, 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, 4.4, 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, or 4.0). The combined pH can be achieved by using two acidic smoke components (e.g., wherein one component has a native pH of 2.5 and the other has a native pH of 3.1), or alternatively one acidic and one basic smoke component. In some instances, the combined smoke composition is buffered to provide a desired pH. For example, using a commercially available buffer such as sodium acetate, sodium diacetate, sodium or potassium phosphate, or using a neutralizing agent such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide to create a buffering salt from the native organic acids in the smoke.

The buffer solution is used at a concentration sufficient to provide the desired pH. For example, when the buffer is a potassium phosphate, the solution includes approximately 7% of buffer to adjust the pH of the solution to about 4.3. In other instances, when the buffer system is sodium diacetate, a concentration of 20% is required to reach a pH in the range of 4.5.

In some embodiments, Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 is combined with Mastertaste Zesti Advantage to provide a combined smoke composition that can be used to treat an unreinforced cellulosic casing (e.g., cellophane casing), for example a food casing that is later subject to shirring. In some embodiments, the combined product does not produce blemishes on the surface of the casing, even after the coated casing has been shirred.

The Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 is generally combined with Mastertaste Zesti Advantage at a 1 : 1 ratio of Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 to Mastertaste Zesti

Advantage. However, other ratios are also envisioned, for example, ratios from about 1:2 to about 2:1 or ratios from about 30:70 to about 70:30 (e.g., about 35:65, 40:60, 45:55, 50:50, 55:45, 60:40, or 65:35). Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 and Mastertaste

Zesti Advantage are available through the Mastertaste Zesti Smoke Division, Crossville, Tennessee.

The Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 is generally a high colorant/high flavor/low moisture smoke, whereas the is generally a medium colorant/no flavor/low tar smoke. Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 is also referred to as Mastertaste Zesti Super Smoke 320. The smoke of Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 functionally delivers flavor, colorant and skin formation to the sausage. Mastertaste Zesti Advantage functionally delivers the food product such as sausages with very light colorant and no flavour, albeit at a very uniform coverage. The combination of Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 with Mastertaste Zesti Advantage results in an unexpected improvement of both smokes. The resulting food products have optimal colorant, optimal flavor and are uniform in colorant, being free of unsuitable marks or stripes on the sausages.

Other components are also generally included in the combination smoke product. For example, the combined smoke product can also include a buffer as described above, a hydrocolloid peeling aid such as CMC, HPMC, or microcrystalline cellulose, and one or more surfactant providing emulsifying, lubricating and/όr release functions such as polyethylene glycol 400 monostearate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan tristearate, or polyglycerol oleate. Food casings The food casing can be any type of unreinforced cellulose casing. In general, the casing is shaped to form a tube. The tube may, for example, be split to form a film having essentially the same uses as cellophane film. The tubular food casing is especially suitable for use as a food casing for foodstuffs such as sausage, hot dogs, and cheese. The casing is made by extruding viscose which may be any modified or unmodified cellulose solution, e.g. a solution of cellulose in an amine oxide or in a mixture of copper hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide (cuprammonium process) or a solution of cellulose aminomethanate. The viscose is extruded either into the form of a tube or to impregnate a fiber web formed in the shape of a tube. The tube is unreinforced so that the reinforcement does not restrict the stretching operation. In some embodiments, the food casing is a regenerated casing, such as a regenerated cellulose casing. Regeneration primarily occurs in one or more acid and salt baths in the case of xanthate viscose. Regeneration as used herein means the

essentially complete regeneration obtained in a final regeneration bath before drying. Regeneration results in the removal of solubilizing groups added to the cellulose during the process (e.g., CS ₂ in xanthate viscose, and aminomethanate groups in aminomethanate viscose). The regenerated film before drying can be self supporting and stretchable. In solvent processes which dissolve unmodified cellulose, e.g., solutions in an amine oxide, regeneration means the final solvent removal step to form a self supporting stretchable film, before drying.

In general, for a food casing of a diameter usual for a hot dog, the casing has a wall thickness of between 14 and 25 microns (micrometers) and usually between 21 and 23 microns.

The food casing is coated with the combined smoke composition (e.g., a combination of Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 with Mastertaste Zesti Advantage). The casing can be coated by spraying the composition onto the casing, dipping the casing into the composition or application of the composition onto the casing using a slug. Spraying of the composition onto the casing is generally preferred. It is preferred that the combined smoke composition is applied to the food casing before the casing is shirred. The combined smoke composition is applied at a rate of 16 to 35 grams per square meter with a preferred application rate of 21 to 27 grams per square meter.

While unreinforced cellulose casings are described, other unreinforced casings are also envisioned, for example, unreinforced nylon or polyester casings. Methods of making a coated food product

The coated food casings described herein can be used in a process of making a food product. For example, a coated food casing described herein can be a casing used as a cellophane hot dog product. In a preferred embodiment, the coated food product is a product such as a hot dog, sausage, or frankfurter, as opposed to a large meat product sold in bulk at a deli. In such embodiments, a regenerated cellulose casing can be used.

The food product is generally a product where it is desirable to have a smoke flavor and/or colorant. Use of coated food casings described herein does not require any change in the normal manufacturing equipment or procedure. The casings generally provide an even smoke color and taste during the cooking cycle and can eliminate the need

to apply natural smoke or liquid smoke by dipping, spraying or atomizing in the smokehouse.

EXAMPLES The combination smoke products described below can be applied to a food casing, for example, an unreinforced, regenerated cellulose casing. The components of the formulas below are described in % by weight:

Example 1 : Combination smoke product.

The formulation of the combination smoke product of Example 1 is: 60 % Mastertaste Zesti Advantage Smoke

32 % Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 7% PotassiumPhosphate

0.5% Triglycerol tetraoleate

0.4 % CMC ( CarboxyMethylCellulose) 0.1% Tween 65.

Example 2: Alternative combination smoke product The formulation of an alternative combination smoke product is: 55% Mastertaste Zesti Advantage Smoke

37% Mastertaste Zesti Smoke 320 7% Potassium Phosphate

0.5% Santone 3,4,O (triglycerol tetraoleate)

0.4% CMC 7LF (CarboxyMethylCellulose)

0.1% T-Maz 65K

Santone 3,4,O may be obtained from Loders Croklaan, IOI Group, Quest Chemical. CMC-7LF may be obtained from Aqualon (Hercules Chemical). T-Maz 65K is ethoxylated sorbitan monostearate and may be obtained from Dairy Chem, a distributor for BASF.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.