Sausage Tech 1 5/29/08 12:47 PM Page 1 EXCLUSIVE 2008 TECH JOURNAL SERIES SAUSAGE 101 Photo courtesy of Odom’s Tennessee Pride A supplement to The National Provisioner SAUSAGE TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL Sausage Tech 1 5/29/08 12:47 PM Page STJ-2 2008 TECH JOURNAL SERIES SAUSAGE TECHNOLOGY 101 A NATIONAL PROVISIONER RESEARCH PROJECT BY BARBARA YOUNG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LISA WHITE, RESEARCH ASSISTANT PART ONE: OVERVIEW he sausage category consists of comminuted cessing often includes a blend of Old World tradi- meats ranging from coarsely ground to fine tions and tastes with modern processing equipment. T emulsions such as hot dogs or bologna. Technology is a key driver behind efficient Products may be cured, smoked or heat-processed. sausage production, which is defined by sophisticated Categories generally include fresh; uncooked and manufacturing techniques. smoked such as Italian pork sausage; cooked and The National Provisioner is producing a series of smoked as in hot dogs; cooked such as liver sausage; technology journals covering various aspects of the dry, semi-dry or fermented such as summer sausage processing side of the industry. These in-depth or pepperoni; and cooked meat specialties such as reports delve into the science and technology that luncheon loaves. Each product in the category has its support the business foundation of meat- and poultry- own processing method with intricacies and tradi- processing programs. This is the third in the series. tions dating back hundreds of years. The recipe for The first two focused on bacon and ground beef, success in the 21st century concerning sausage pro- respectively. NP PART TWO: PRODUCTION BASICS uring meat processing, salt plays a critical stabilization during cooking. role in the formation of a stable emulsion, no Meat regulations in the United States specify a D matter what other flavors and seasonings maximum of 30 percent fat in cooked sausages. The are eventually added to the meat matrix. normal moisture-to-protein ratios for comminuted Salt solubilizes the myofibrillar proteins — actin products is 4-to-1, although regulations allow for 10 and myosin — which swell as they absorb water to percent in excess of this ratio in cooked sausages, form a gel matrix. This increases the viscosity of the and 3 percent in fresh sausage. Higher-fat meat por- mix, thereby adding stability by preventing moisture tions and other ingredients including non-meat pro- loss and fat coalescence during heat processing. The tein extenders, starches, seasoning and flavorings are myofibrillar proteins also add stability to the matrix blended in following the initial protein extraction when solubilized by acting as emulsifying agents from lean meat and salt. and coating the fat particles. Several of these extenders have been instrumental During blending, mechanical action aids in solu- in textural and flavor improvements of low-fat bilizing and swelling the meat proteins. Several fac- sausages in recent years. Extenders such as soy pro- tors influence the meat emulsion’s stability includ- tein concentrate, whey protein concentrate and ing temperature of the batter during blending, pH, starch serve a variety of beneficial functions from the amount and source of salt-soluble proteins and improvements in water-binding capacity to reduced viscosity of the batter. Moisture-to-protein ratios shrinkage, all of which generally factor into cost sav- also factor into the meat’s stability and perform- ings. Advancements in textured soy protein concen- ance, particularly since soluble proteins play such a trate provide products with meat-like qualities in key role in binding, both in water retention and fat both appearance and bite. NP STJ-2 SAUSAGE TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL | JUNE 2008 SAUSAGE TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL Sausage Tech 1 5/29/08 12:48 PM Page STJ-4 SAUSAGE TECHNOLOGY 101 PART THREE: PROCESSING SYSTEMS BY WESLEY N. OSBURN, PH.D., ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY aking sausage products using a batch meat These components are contained within the manufacturing concept requires using housing or grinder head and are secured with a M effective processing equipment. A well- lock ring. Meat is fed through the hopper where the designed system provides a consistently uniform auger screw carries it to the cutting knives to be coarse ground or emulsified sausage product. sliced by the rotating knives and extruded through Particle definition (coarse-ground products) and the grinder plate. Commercial grinders are emulsion stability (emulsion-type products) are designed to handle fresh or frozen (minus 5° to critical objectives for designing a new batch system minus 10°C) meat. Many systems can grind from or in modifying an existing one. 3,000 to as much as 25,000 kg/hour, depending A typical batch system to produce coarse or upon the raw material used and number of revolu- emulsified type sausage products usually consists tions of the grinder system. of the following steps: pre-grinding, mixing, fat It is essential to determine the properties of the analysis, final grinding, chopping and/or raw material used to select the correct main drive, emulsification, stuffing/filling and in most cases, feed and working auger speeds. Several grinder thermal processing. Fresh and/or frozen meat is manufacturers offer a mixer grinder option using pre-ground to create a uniform particle size for an agitator as a feeder to pass product down to the blending or mixing. Mixers are used to ensure the feed auger and forward through the grinder uniformity of the product’s chemical composition assembly. (e.g. fat). The basic mixer uses a hopper and a pair To prevent product grease-out or poor particle of agitators (e.g. ribbon, paddle or solid flight) to definition, it is important to ensure that cutting mix the “meat dough.” knives and plates are sharp and properly tightened Once the proper fat content of the meat has been with the grinder assemble. Available grinding achieved, the meat is passed through a final grind to technology allows the option of using a series of achieve a uniform particle size definition. If an grinding plates and cutting knives to precut raw emulsified product is desired, the meat can be material to reduce or comminute the particle size chopped or emulsified to create a stable emulsion of the meat to the final desired diameter. than can withstand thermal processing. The final Grinder plates and knives are available in a stage involves stuffing or filling using a sausage variety of hole diameters (normal range from 0.32 to stuffer. Next comes linking or clipping to close the 3.2 cm). Grinder manufacturers have also developed product, including freezing or refrigeration, thermal an outside cutting knife that can be attached to the processing, chilling, packaging and refrigeration. last grinder plate to provide a uniform particle size. An outside cutting device that rotates independently ■ GRINDING SYSTEMS of the working auger is available in producing Grinders reduce the particle size of raw materials variable lengths of ground product. to create the desired final attributes of the product in In coarsely ground and emulsified sausage terms of texture and visual appeal. Basic system products, it is important to remove bone chips and components include a hopper or bin, the housing gristle from the finished product. Various bone consisting of an auger or feed screw (may be collection systems have been developed for grinders attached to a second auger called the working using either a center or peripheral discharge system auger), grinder blades or cutting knives and the to remove unwanted bone and sinew. In the grinder plate. production of emulsified products, processors often Continued on page STJ-6 STJ-4 SAUSAGE TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL | JUNE 2008 SAUSAGE TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL Sausage Tech 1 5/29/08 12:48 PM Page STJ-5 AVERAGE VALUES PORK SAUSAGE INGREDIENTS (7 of 44 meat block formulations) LLAGEN POUNDS FOR VARIOUS FORMULATIONS OISTURE CO MEAT BLOCK M FAT PROTEIN % BIND COLOR ABCDEFG Pork Backfat 5 93 1 95 0 0 34 34 33 30 30 25 25 Head meat 65 16 17 70 7 16 10 Rind, emulsion 38 34 27 60 1 0 7 Trim 80 (lean) 60 23 16 25 16 24 66 66 67 33 70 75 75 Trim 50 36 52 10 34 12 9 21 Dry Ingredients Dextrose .06 0 0 0 10 0 .4 Rusk 5 9 14 0 16 0 19 15 18 18 20 18 Salt .01 0 0 0 40 0 2 2 2 1.8 2.2 2 2.3 Moist Ingredients Water or ice 100 00000 2821272717 25 Fruits and Vegetables Pimiento 92 110060 .1 .1 Tomato puree 87 020070 12 Calculated composition - 2% shrink Moisture 46.1 44.6 46.4 43.8 47.6 44.1 48.6 Fat (Max. 50%) 33.2 35.6 33.7 35.9 39.9 40.3 29.5 Protein 9.3 9.6 9.4 9.5 9.8 12.2 10.4 Properties % Collagen (Max. 35) 21.8 22.8 22.1 33.3 21.2 26.4 21.9 Bind Points (Min. 1.8) *1.4 *1.5 *1.5 *1.5 *1.5 1.9 1.8 Color Points (Min. 2) *1.8 *1.9 *1.9 *1.2 2.0 2.9 2.1 * = value does not meet federal regulations or commonly accepted guidelines PORK SAUSAGE SPICE FORMULATIONS AVERAGE VALUES (8 of 45 spice formulations) OZ. UNLESS INDICATED OTHERWISE PER 100 LBS. OF MEAT OISTURE M FAT 1PROTEIN 12345678 Curing Ingredients Na or K Nitrite .1 0 0 .25 .25 .25 .25 Na or K Nitrite .1 0 0 1 1 Na Erythorbate .1 0 0 .87 .87 Spices Allspice 8.5 8.7 6 8 Anise 10 16 18 2 Caraway seed 10 15 20 .5 Cardamon 8 3.5 9 1 1 Coriander 5 18 15 1 2 2 Fennel seed ground 8 22 18 1 1.7 Garlic, powder 6 1 17 .5 Ginger 9 4 8.5 1 Nutmeg 8 33 7 .5 1 1 6 1 1 Paprika 10 13 15 1 1 Pepper, black 11 8.5 12 2.5 2.5 4 Pepper, red 8 17 12 2 Pepper, white 11 8.5 1.6 7 4 7 6.2 6.2 Sage 3 14 8.5 2 2 Thyme 8 7 9 1 PROCESSING PROCEDURES (7 of 11 processing procedures) A.