Objectives:
(1) To discuss the differences among the various styles of sausage.
(2) To show the chemistry involved in binding meat proteins and making meat emulsions.
(3) To demonstrate the equipment, raw materials and processes involved in sausage manufacturing.
Reading material: Principles of Meat Science (3rd ed.), Chapter 7, pages 133 to 171.
Sausage — any meat that is chopped, seasoned and formed into a symmetrical shape.
| Year | Franks | Fresh | Dry | Other Smokedor Cooked | JelliedGoods |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1972 |
5.9 |
3.7 |
1.5 |
9.4 |
1.1 |
1977 |
6.8 |
4.2 |
1.7 |
9.3 |
0.4 |
1982 |
5.9 |
4.3 |
1.9 |
7.7 |
0.4 |
1987 |
6.2 |
4.2 |
2.5 |
7.9 |
0.4 |
1992E |
6.4 |
4.4 |
3.3 |
7.9 |
0.2 |
Sausage Classification
| Classification | Examples | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked-smoked emulsion type | Frankfurter | Bologna |
| Loaves; luncheon meats | Olive loaf | Head cheese |
| Fresh; fresh smoked | Fresh pork sausage | Bratwurst |
| Cooked; gel type | Braunschweiger | Liver sausage |
| Fermented, Dry | Pepperoni | Salami |
| Fermented, Semi-dry | Cervelet | Thuringer |
Meat emulsion — a dispersion of fat particles in water held by the action of salt-soluble, heat-coagulable proteins (SSHCP)
SSHCP —> actin, myosin, actomyosin
Salt-soluble — can be extracted in a weak NaCl solution.
Heat-coagulable — will coagulate upon heating.
Manufacture of frankfurters
| “Batch” concept | “Continuous” concept |
|---|---|
| Grind | Grind |
| Chop | Pre-salt |
| Stuff | Mix-blend |
| Link | Emulsify |
| Cook | Vacuumize |
| Peel | Stuff |
| Link | |
| Cook | |
| Brine-chill | |
| Peel |
Constraints in frankfurter manufacture
USDA
Maximum fat = 30%
Added water = 10%
New law (1988) states that the combination of fat and water cannot exceed 40%. Thus, can have a frankfurter with 20% fat and 20% added water, but, maximum fat still cannot exceed 30%.
To determine compliance for added water:
Added water = Total water – (4 X P)
Maximum added water = 40 – fat percent (not to exceed 30%)
Maximum added water >= added water
Plant quality control
Binding Index = 40 to 60
Color Index = 40 to 50
Choosing animal tissues
Fat to lean ratio
e.g., extra lean pork = 95% lean; regular trim = 50%
Moisture to protein ratio
e.g., regular trim pork = 4.1 to 1 M:P; beef tripe = 4.9 to 1 M:P
Binding Index
Relative amount of SSHCP in a meat
Bull has index of 100; divide amount in bull into other meat to find BI
Color Index
Relative amount of myoglobin in a meat
Bull has an index of 100; divide amount in bull into other meat to find CI
Additives
3% NaCl
2% Dextrose
2% Corn syrup solids
1% Microground mustard
1/2% Seasonings (NO2, Ascorbate, GDL, Spices)
Cereal-added
10-1/2 to 12% (8-1/2% as above plus 3-1/2 or 2%)
USDA allows:
3-1/2% of:
Cereal (wheat, rice, potato) flour
Soy flour
Soy concentrate
Non-fat dry milk
2% of Soy protein isolate
Meat ingredients in frankfurters
Skeletal meats — beef, pork, lamb, mutton, goat
By-product or variety meats — tongues, lips, tripe, etc.
Non-meat ingredients in frankfurters
Cereals, soy proteins, milk proteins
Labeling
Traditional generic name (wieners)
Species plus generic (beef franks)
Meat by-products added (frankfurters with variety meats)
Non-meat binders added (wieners with soy added)
Meat by-products and non-meat binders (hot dogs with variety meats and non-fat dry milk added)
Unspecified products (treats)
Smoking, cooking, thermal processing
Purposes:
Coagulates protein matrix
Fixes nitrosomyoglobin
Adds smoke components
Pasteurizes product
Kills trichinella spiralis
Start: House temperature of 140°F —> 180°F, raise 10°F/15 min (include 5 min of smoke). Cold shower (6-8 min).
Frankfurter defects
- Fatting out/fat capping
- excess fat, too little SSHCP, overchopping, too much rework
- Deformation
- too much cereal
- Curling
- too much connective tissue
- Gelling out
- too much connective tissue
- Crusting
- too low relative humidity, excess protein
- Greening
- excess nitrite, lactobacillus viredescens
- Sliming
- yeast or pseudomonads on product
- Taste, texture, flatus
- too much soy protein in product
- Barber-poling, speckling
- dull blades on chopper
- Poor color
- too little or too much myoglobin, failure to complete curing cycle
- Poor peelability
- failure to form outside skin surface, excess connective tissue, understuffing, inadequate relative humidity prior to peeling
Fresh pork sausage
Seasoning (20, 8, 5, 2) per hundred pounds
20 oz salt
8 oz sugar
5 oz sage
2 oz black pepper
Sack sausage, bulk sausage, sausage patties, sausage links
Chilled pork —> trimmings or whole carcasses
Pre-rigor pork sausage
Slaughter
Bone
Grind
Mix-blend
Grind
Continuous stuffer
Kartridg-Pak chub packaging machine
Saran barrier —> muscle respires, uses trapped, residual oxygen
Fermented sausage
Dry < 35% moisture
Semi-dry < 50% moisture
Fermented —> lactic acid
Conversion of sugar —> lactic acid (characteristic acid, tangy flavor)
Old method of manufacturing (2 weeks)
Grinding
Season + cure, mixing
Pan-curing (3 days @ 37°F)
Stuffing
Greening (10 days @ 73°F)
Smoking (32 hr @ 100°F)
Drying (10-90 days)
Micrococcus aurantiacus Pan-curing = NaNO3 ————————–> NaNO2 Lactic acid bacteria Greening = Sugar ————————–> Lactic acid
New method of manufacturing (2 days):
Grinding
Season + cure, mixing
Add Lactocel®
Stuffing
Greening (16 hr @ 85°F)
Smoking (32 hr @ 100°F)
Drying (10-90 days)
Lactocel® starter culture
Micrococcus aurantiacus
Lactobacillus plantarum
Pediococcus cerevisiae
Micrococcus aurantiacus ————–> converts NO3 —> NO2
Lactobacillus plantarum —————> converts sugar —> lactic acid
Pediococcus cerevisiae
Review of Material — What the student should know:
(1) The different kinds of sausages manufactured.
(2) The purpose of SSHCP.
(3) How sausages are manufactured.
Links to related sites on the Internet
Hormel Foods. Home of hot dogs, Cure 81® hams, and SPAM®.
National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. Fun and interesting facts about hot dogs.
Oscar Mayer Foods. Home of great hot dogs and bologna.