Food casings having modified release properties and methods of manufacture

Abstract

Regenerated cellulose food packaging film, including fibrous food casings which has modified cling properties for packaging sausage products. The cellulosic food casings have a fibrous reinforcement impregnated with regenerated cellulose composition which contains from about 0.01 to 2.5 weight percent of admixture of a viscose solution and a food grade cationic resin adhering agent and from about 0.001 to 2.5 weight percent of a protein. The film is prepared by impregnating a tubular fiber reinforcement with a viscose composition containing the resin and protein. The impregnating composition is applied in a single step by injecting the resin and protein into the viscose solution before being extruded into the fibrous web. This assures both even distribution of the polymeric adhering agent and protein in the web, as well as maintenance of a constant level of polymer and protein being applied during the coating process. The degree of cling/adherence of the casing to meat contained in the film is more uniform over the entire circumference of the tubular casing and is almost moisture independent.