Cellulose sausage casing Rapid Peel

ViskoTeepak’s Wienie-Pak Production

This new series delves into the critical steps in Wienie-Pak applications, particularly focusing on hot dog production issues beyond casing.

What does ViskoTeepak do when a situation like this arises?

Wienie-Pak
2024.04.30
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Uncovering the process.

Recently, four articles were published, highlighting critical steps in fibrous applications and addressing instances where the results failed to meet customer requirements. Below is the first article released by ViskoTeepak within a series delving into hot dog production issues, recognizing that while casing is integral, the scope extends beyond it. The first article examines the end of the process, focusing on emulsion preparation and product heating. Often, when the final sausage deviates from expectations, the underlying cause remains elusive. This article aims to elucidate some of these mysterious mistakes. The second article of this series explores the functionality of Wienie-Pak during the stuffing process, shedding light on its role and potential challenges. The third article discusses pitfalls encountered during the shirring process, while the final article zeroes in on the Wienie-Pak process at the Lommel facility. It’s important to note that this series is not driven by advertising motives but rather seeks to uncover and address long-term issues that occasionally surface.

 

Wrong Fat

Most of our customers make the emulsion with the help of imported frozen fat blocks of approximately 25 kg. These blocks meet a certain number of specs. However, it happens that these fat blocks contain too high level of soft fat – fat with a lower melt point. Lard has a melting point ranging between 26˚C and 40˚C. Back fat, with a high percentage of saturated fat particles shows the same (frozen) view but starting from 45˚ Cel. The alkyl chain length determines partly the melting point of fat. Blue line is as it should be. The red line shows a higher percentage of short alkyl chains inside the emulsion.

Sausage with different color after processing

The casing producer is often held accountable for inconsistent sausage coloration after processing, particularly evident during trolley cooking in various smoke chambers. Occasionally, part of the sausages in the trolley remain uncolored while others achieve a nice brown hue, prompting customers to attribute the disparity to a specific section of the strand.

Corkscrew Phenomenon

Last but not least is the phenomenon known as the “corkscrew sausage,” which occurs after reheating the product on the grill. Grillers are often taken aback by the transformation of the sausage from a nicely round shape into a corkscrew-like appearance.

In conclusion

Hot dog production requires careful attention to detail. One major issue is using the wrong kind of fat, which can cause the fat to separate from the meat. This happens when the fat blocks used have too much of a certain type of fat. Another problem is inconsistent coloring of the sausages after cooking, which happens due to differences in temperature and airflow in the cooking chambers. Lastly, there’s the “corkscrew phenomenon,” where sausages twist after cooking, caused by how the sausage mixture flows during stuffing. By understanding and addressing these issues, we can ensure better quality and consistency in these products.