Our partner Viscofan has developed a sustainable multilayer sausage casing using bio-circular polyamide 6 from our Durethan® portfolio. Attributed to used cooking oil, it significantly reduces the carbon footprint of food packaging and helps manufacturers contribute to the circular economy. This innovative casing maintains the shelf life, minimizing food waste, as well as offering the high performance and quality of traditional casings.
Multilayer casings based on polyamide 6 effectively protect food from spoiling even in very thin wall thicknesses and extend its shelf life. As a result, these casings help to avoid food waste on a large scale, which leads to huge CO2 savings. Compared to these savings, the carbon footprint of the production and recycling of the film packaging is barely significant. Nevertheless, manufacturers of meat products and other foods are also looking at these recyclate and biomaterial casings to further reduce the carbon footprint of their products and become less dependent on fossil raw materials.
ISCC PLUS CERTIFICATION FOR A MASS-BALANCED SUSTAINABLE CASING
The result of our collaboration with Viscofan, the Spanish world leader in the production of food casings, is a sustainable sausage casing with outer layers made of a polyamide 6 grade from our Durethan® BLUE range, whose raw materials are derived from used cooking oil. This grade is mass-balanced in accordance with the ISCC PLUS standard (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification). Our sustainable film polyamide has a CO2 footprint that is around 80 percent lower compared to its entirely fossil-based counterpart.
The inner layer of the new casing system consists of a linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), which is also ISCC PLUS certified. Based on the mass balance approach this sustainable LLDPE is attributed to raw materials obtained from post-consumer recycling. The use of used cooking oil and post-consumer recyclates saves fossil raw materials, thereby conserving valuable resources and contributing to the circular economy.
SUSTAINABILITY AND QUALITY IN SAUSAGE CASINGS
The polyamide 6 raw materials obtained from used cooking oil are processed into caprolactam, the building material for the thermoplastic. The caprolactam with bio-circular content is chemically and physically identical to caprolactam of fossil origin. Thus, the polyamide 6 produced with it has the same properties, the same high quality, and the same processing behavior as its purely fossil oil-based counterpart. It meets the same technical specifications and certifications.
The sausage casings based on our sustainable polyamide offer the characteristic strengths of this plastic without any compromises. It ensures that hardly any oxygen enters the sausage mixture from the outside, which extends its shelf life. In addition, the layer of our tasteless and odorless polyamide forms a barrier against aromatic substances, so that the sausage does not lose its taste. The inner layer also has excellent meat cling. As a result, no pockets of fat or jelly are deposited on the surface of the sausage, which improves its shelf life and ensures an appealing appetizing appearance.
FLEXIBLE CASINGS FOR VARIOUS FOOD PRODUCTS
During the production of the sausage casings, the tube-shaped films are stretched lengthwise and crosswise (biaxial) in a controlled manner. This allows the inner structure of the casings to be precisely adjusted and adapted to the specific requirements of the sausage manufacturer. Viscofan has optimized important properties, such as pliability, strength and elongation, clipping and peel characteristics, shrinkage and temperature resistance (-18°C to +121°C) in tough practical tests.
Before delivery, the extruded film tubes are assembled in partial lengths of 20 to 100 meters and compacted to form shirred sticks of less than one meter in length. This makes them easy to handle in the meat processing plants. These diameters typically range from 34 to 180 millimeters. The casings are a one-stop solution for a wide range of products, from sausages or cheese to liquid foods like soups and sauces.
The new casing system is being marketed under the name eFAN. Already for more than 4 years we collaborate with Viscofan in the development of sustainable packaging casings for food.
Viscofan is the global market leader for artificial casings in the food industry and a competence center for cellulose, non-edible collagen, fibrous and plastic casings as well as edible collagen products, such as casings, film and powder. The company also offers plant-based, purely vegan casings for special product requirements.
Technical Marketing Manager
Wolfram Littek is Technical Marketing Manager for PA 6 film grades at Envalior. He has overseen PA 6 film grades in this role since 2006, with his responsibilities expanding to include Pocan®, Durethan® base resins, glass fibers, caprolactam, and cyclohexanol. In this position, he serves as the interface between customers, and both product development and production departments.
21 November 2024
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