WO2000024265A1

WO2000024265A1 - Bactericidal treatment of sausage casings

Info

Publication number: WO2000024265A1
Application number: PCT/IB1999/001695
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gilbert Theo Hinze
Original assignee: Radical Waters Ip (Pty) Limited
Priority date: 1998-10-23
Filing date: 1999-10-18
Publication date: 2000-05-04
Also published as: AU5994899A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for bactericidal treatment of sausage and similar casings including the step of treating the casings with electrochemically activated, bactericidal aqueous solution.

Description

BACTERICIDAL TREATMENT OF SAUSAGE CAS INGS

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to bactericidal treatment of sausage and similar

casings.

BACKGROUND ART

Sausage casings are made primarily from the intestines of sheep and

pigs. A major disadvantage, due to the nature of intestines, is the

extremely high level of bacteria found therein. Even imported casings

show a very high level of bactericidal contamination. Presently,

Intestines are processed by being soaked in water for periods of up to

and exceeding 24 hours in order to wash them i.e. getting rid of

intestinal contents and red blood cells. Thereafter, they are stripped i.e.

removal of the intestinal mucosa by compression through rollers.

The stripped casings are typically soaked in a brine (salt) solution for at

least 24 hours prior to being calibrated by flushing tap water through the

intestinal lumen. They are then packed in coarse salt and dispatched for

use. However, a disadvantage of the process is the relatively high level

of bactericidal contamination still found in the final product. OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to produce a bactericidal

treatment of sausage and similar casings that will overcome the above

disadvantages.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method

for bactericidal treatment of sausage and similar casings including the

step of treating the casings with electrochemically activated, bactericidal

aqueous solution.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided sausage

and similar casings characterised in having been treated with

electrochemically activated, bactericidal aqueous solution.

The electrochemically activated, bactericidal aqueous solution may be

selected from a group consisting of anion-containing and cation-

containing aqueous solutions.

The electrochemically activated, bactericidal aqueous solution may be

prepared by means of electrolysis of an aqueous solution of a salt. The salt may be sodium chloride. In particular, it may be non-iodated sodium

chloride or potassium chloride.

The anion-containing solution and the associated cation-containing

solution may be produced by an electro-chemical reactor or so-called

electrolysis device, having a through flow electrochemical cell with two

co-axial cylindrical electrodes and a co-axial diaphragm between the two

electrodes so as to separate an annular inter-electrode space into a

catalytic and an analytic chamber. The anion-containing solution is

referred to hereinafter for brevity as the "anolyte solution" or "anolyte"

and the cation-containing solution is referred to hereinafter for brevity as

the "catholyte solution" or "catholyte".

The anolyte solution may be produced from an about 3 to 10% aqueous

NaCI solution, electrolysed to produce mixed reductant and mixed

oxidant species. These species may be labile and after about 96 hours

the various reductant and oxidant species may disappear with relatively

no residues being produced. These species have been found to have a

synergistic anti-bacterial and/or anti-viral effect, which is generally

stronger than that of chemical bactericides and has been found to be

particularly effective against viral organisms and sport and cyst forming bacteria.

The anolyte solution may have a redox potential of between about + 300

mV and + 1 200 mV, and a pH of between about 2 and 9. The anolyte

solution may include mixed oxidant species such as CIO; CIO^"; HCI0;

OH^" ₂; H₂O_2;; O³; S₂O₈ ^2" and CI₂O₆ ² .

The catholyte solution generally may have a pH of between about 12 and

1 3 and a redox potential of between about -850 mV and -900 mV.

The catholyte solution may include species such as OH^"; H₃ ^"; O₂; H₂-;

HO₂ ^■; HO₂ ^" and O₂ ^".

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided equipment for

use in a method for bactericidal treatment of sausage and similar casings,

the equipment being characterised including an electrolysis device, having

a through flow electrochemical cell with two co-axial cylindrical

electrodes, with a co-axial diaphragm between them so as to separate an

annular inter-electrode space into a catalytic and an analytic chamber.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by

means of a non-limiting example only. Example:

Anolyte and brine solutions were used in comparison on stripped and

unstripped casings, the success of the solutions being expressed in

bacterial count in CFU/100 ml.

The results were as follows :

It is envisaged that the casings prior, during and/or subsequent to their

treatment with anolyte, could be treated with catholyte so as to clean

and/or bleach the casings. It is therefore envisaged that the use of anolyte and catholyte could

reduce the bacterial loads on casings, reduce the processing time

required for casings, provide whiter casing product and increase the

product strength due to a reduction in process time (antolysis).

It will be appreciated that many variations in detail are possible without

departing from the scope and/or scope of the invention as claimed in the

claims hereinafter.

Claims

1 . A method for bactericidal treatment of sausage and similar casings

including the step of treating the casings with electrochemically

activated, bactericidal aqueous solution.

2. Sausage and similar casings characterised in having been treated

bactericidally with electrochemically activated, bactericidal

aqueous solution.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electrochemically

activated bactericidal solution is selected from a group consisting

of anion-containing and cation-containing aqueous solutions.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electrochemically

activated, bactericidal solution is prepared by means of

electrolysis of an aqueous solution of a salt.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the salt is selected from

the group consisting of chloride and potassium chloride.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the anion-containing

solution and the associated cation-containing solution are

produced by an electrolysis device, having a through flow

electrochemical cell with two co-axial cylindrical electrodes and a

co-axial diaphragm between the two electrodes so as to separate

an annular inter-electrode space into a catalytic and an analytic

chamber.

7. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the anion-containing

solution is produced from an about 3 to 10% aqueous NaCI

solution, electrolysed to produce mixed reductant and mixed

oxidant species.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the species are labile and

after about 96 hours the various reductant and oxidant species

disappear with relatively no residues being produced.

9. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the anion-containing

solution has a redox potential of between about + 300 mV and

+ 1 200 mV and a pH of between about 2 and 9.

0. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the anion-containing

solution includes mixed oxidant species selected from the group

consisting of CIO; CIO ; HCIO; OH ₂; H₂O_2;; O³; S₂O₈ ² and CI₂O₆ ².

1 . A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cation-containing

solution has a pH of between about 1 2 and 1 3 and a redox

potential of between about -850 mV and -900 mV.

2. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cation solution includes

mixed reductant species selected from the group consisting of OH^";

H₃ ^"; O₂; H₂-; HO₂-; HO₂ ^" and O₂ ^".

3. Equipment for use in a method for bactericidal treatment of sausage

and similar casings, the equipment being characterised in including

an electrolysis device, having a through flow electrochemical cell

with two co-axial cylindrical electrodes, with a co-axial diaphragm

between the two electrodes so as to separate an annular inter-

electrode space into a catalytic and an analytic chamber.