Efficient strand package with hexagonal cross-section

Abstract

A package comprising, shirred, essentially cylindrically shaped, food casing strands, each of which has a strand diameter D. The strands are oriented in the package in such a way that longitudinal axes of the strands are parallel, external surfaces of the strands contact external surfaces of adjacent strands and ends of the strands terminate in approximately the same plane, which plane is perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the strands. The strands are further oriented so that lines passing perpendicularly through the central axes of strands located proximate the external surface of the package intersect to form a hexagon in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axes. Sides of the hexagon have side lengths such that the lengths vary by no more than one D from each other. Strands, internally within the package, i.e. which would not have an exteriorly exposed surface if all package wraps were removed, contact six adjacent strands. The package usually consists essentially of, n rows of strands and an external package retainer, usually a package wrap. Preferably each of the lines forming the hexagon passes through the central axes of either an equal number of strands or a number of strands which do not vary by more than one. Preferably, the package according to the present invention has an odd number of rows n, which is a number of 5 to 15.