Toughness Variations among Natural Casings: An Exploration on Their Biochemical and Histological Characteristics

Abstract

We investigated the mechanical, biochemical, and histological properties of hog and sheep casings produced in different countries to elucidate the responsible factors for the toughness quality of natural casings. The toughness and collagen characteristics of sheep and lamb casings were also investigated to elucidate the effect of animal slaughter age on the relationships between connective tissue and the mechanical properties of natural casings. The results showed that the main component of hog and sheep casings was collagen with many layers of sheets. The contents of collagen, elastin, and proteoglycan in hog and sheep casings were similar. The toughest Chinese casings (p p p p < 0.01). Therefore, the high thermal and structural stability of collagen in aged animals may contribute to the enhanced mechanical properties of casings.

Keywords

• hog and sheep casings
• toughness
• biochemical characteristic
• histological characteristic
• animal age