The case for collagen
Foreword The casing is the “skin” of the sausage. It gives it its shape, appearance, consistency and flavour and influences its storage life to a considerable degree. Gut casings have been used for more than 2000 years. Despite the many undisputed positive properties of gut casings, it has been necessary in the past to develop alternative sausage casings with optimised properties. These alternative casings can be made from either natural raw materials or synthetic materials. In the past, many refinements have been made to these alternative sausage casings, which are manufactured from natural raw materials such as cellulose and collagen. Collagen casings were first developed in Germany in 1925 and these relatively thick casings were, however, unsuitable for consumption. The development of edible collagen casings has been very rapid and continuing progress has been made since around 1960 to give us the sausage casings commonly used today. The positive features of collagen casings now serve as the benchmark for the industry as any negatives have been eliminated through research and development. The positives include improved hygiene of the casings, easy storage, consistency of quality, improved machinability and therefore cost-effectiveness, shape, colour and “crispness” (or ‘knack’) is easier to produce and the sausages are less likely to spatter when fried. Thanks to the ongoing commitment of Devro it has been possible to optimise the properties of edible collagen casings, in co-operation with the meat-processing industry, in such a way that the edible collagen casings available today, with different shapes and properties for the multitude of different meat products, are welcomed by both manufacturers and consumers. The recognition of the meat-processing industry and meat technology research groups bear testament to this. Prof. Dr. Achim Stiebing Meat Technology Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences
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introduction This report endeavours to look into the economic benefits of sausage production using collagen casings as the way forward. Sales of collagen have grown by more than 25% worldwide since 2007 as many sausage producers are switching from gut casing and reaping the benefits (Collagen Casing Trade Association and Devro). The report examines the rationale for this switch and is intended to highlight the benefits to the meat industry of using collagen casings, not only in terms of cost savings but also other non-financial benefits. As progress is made in new product development there is greater acceptance of collagen casings and, as a consequence, greater use across the globe in all types of fresh, smoked and dried sausage applications. The findings detailed here are intended to demonstrate the increased need for sausage manufacturers to consider the use of collagen casings when developing products to appeal to both retailer and consumer alike.
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C hapt e r 1
COLLAGEN – AN OVERVIEW Collagen is a natural protein that is processed to produce quality casings that are significantly more cost effective to use for manufacturing sausages than gut casings and, increasingly, preferred by consumers THE MOST ABUNDANT PROTEIN IN MAMMALS Collagen is a natural protein and the most abundant found in mammals, making up to 35 per cent of the whole body protein content. It is easily and safely absorbed by the human body; therefore ideal for food manufacturing purposes due to its edibility and digestibility as a regular ingredient. Gelatine used in food and industry is derived from the partial hydrolysis of collagen. Although collagen casing is a processed product, sometimes incorrectly described as ‘artificial’, the raw material that is used to manufacture sausage casings is a natural animal product originating from the thin inner layer called the corium; found just beneath the hide of beef cattle. The main edible competitor to collagen, gut casings, is made from the sub mucosa; a layer of the intestine that also consists mainly of collagen.
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A FLEXIBLE AND EASY PRODUCT WITH WHICH TO MANUFACTURE SAUSAGE Collagen is an extremely flexible, natural animal material that is further processed to make it very easy to work with. The manufacturing process can be adjusted and finetuned to achieve perfect casings suitable for a wide variety of applications. There is sufficient flexibility in working with collagen on the production line to develop a process to deliver precisely the degree of hardness, ‘bite’ and texture required. Thus collagen casing is suitable for the production of fresh, processed, smoked and dried sausage in a wide range of diameters and lengths. Furthermore collagen is suitable for the production of large calibre sausage and for the Kosher and Halal markets. It is even possible to specify particular colours for the finished casing.
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THE RAW MATERIAL For the best casings, the hides should be from animals under three years of age as the quality of the collagen extracted is at its optimum for processing into casings. The finished products have sufficient strength for processing and cooking but with a lightness and palatability which means the casing disappears almost instantaneously after the initial bite.
MANUFACTURING COLLAGEN CASING The production of collagen casing is a complex technological process. Natural material forms the basis of the product. It is broken down and reconstituted as a gel that is consistent and stable in formulation. Devro is a world leader in the manufacturing technology for this highly sophisticated process. The collagen is obtained from hides by the mechanical removal of the epidermal and flesh layers. The collagen-rich corium layer is known as the collagen ‘split’. The split is treated by washing, decalcification and buffering to give pure food grade collagen. This is further reduced and blended to produce a protein gel.
STRENGTH AND STABILITY The criss-cross structure of the collagen fibres adds significantly to the strength, calibre and stability of the finished product. The gel is extruded to form a tubular casing that is strong enough for the sausage manufacturer to use efficiently but tender enough to provide superb eating characteristics for the consumer.
CONSISTENCY, RELIABILITY AND VERSATILITY The key attributes of collagen casings are consistency and reliability along with versatility of use. The casings have been perfected to handle a wide spectrum of cooking demands and temperature changes without bursting. Sausages in collagen casings can be cooked in many ways from steaming to deep fat frying. They can be produced on ultra highspeed machines used by the large food processors but are equally effective when hand-crafted by specialist butchers. Fresh, small calibre and large diameter smoked and dried sausage as well as bratwurst and beefstick are all made successfully in collagen casings. In addition, the new generation of collagen casings have achieved consumer acceptance across the board.
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C hapt e r 2
SAUSAGE MANUFACTURING - the cost benefits of production using collagen casings
The cost benefits to manufacturers of using collagen casings can be substantial; with significant savings in time and labour costs
THE COST BENEFITS OF USING COLLAGEN CASING
REDUCED LABOUR COSTS
The use of collagen for sausage casings brings with it a range of cost savings, mainly because it is an easier and more consistent product to work with than gut.
The greatest direct savings can be achieved in time and labour costs as fully automatic sausage stuffing machines, which work most effectively with collagen casings, can be used. These machines can automatically load the collagen casing before it is filled with the sausage emulsion.
Collagen is consistent in terms of size, shape and length. The finished casing can be produced to a standard length and diameter, crucially free of blemishes. The variations in casing length and diameter that naturally occur in gut are not present with collagen. Holes, splits or variations in gut increase production stoppages causing longer operating times on the sausage production line. Collagen casing is easy and quick to work with because it is a more consistent and stable product than gut thus achieving what can sometimes be dramatic cost savings over 50 per cent in some cases. Because less manpower is needed on the sausage production line output per man hour is increased.
One or two employees are required to work the machine quickly. Depending on the size of the casing, outputs of collagen-cased sausage can reach 450 kg per hour per person. Filling gut casings typically requires three or four operators working at lower speed because the gut has many more ends and the machine has to stop for each. Loading of each piece of gut casing also takes considerably longer. Output will be only 33% to 50% of the collagen levels per person.
Labour Costs
Collagen
Gut
1-2 operators
3-4 operators
Higher speed
Lower speed
Output per person . 33% – 50% lower with gut
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THE BENEFITS OF USING COLLAGEN CASING FOR SMOKING SAUSAGES Greater efficiency can be achieved in smoking sausages when they are collagen-cased because they are more consistent in size and shape than gut-cased sausages. Up to 20 per cent more sausages can be smoked in a production cycle when using collagen casing. The consistent length of the sausage made with collagen casings allows the loading of smoke sticks to be optimised and the smokehouse can be used more efficiently. For example, in the smoking of 50gm collagen-cased sausages one ‘stick’ will hang or support 22 pairs of sausage. However, the smoke stick may hold as few as 18 pairs of the equivalent size of gut-cased sausage, due to some discrepancies in length and shape. The characteristics of collagen also allow quicker processing in the smokehouse with less drying time. Great looking and tasting sausage can be produced with savings of up to 15 per cent in smoking time.
The Benefit of Smoking Collagen Sausages
Consistent size & shape
Inconsistent size & shape
1 stick = 22 pairs sausages
1 stick = 18 pairs sausages
Less drying time
Greater drying time
Output per person . 33% – 50% lower with gut
DRAMATIC COSTS SAVINGS Savings can soon mount when volume sausage production is undertaken. Specific savings will depend on the individual producer’s equipment, labour rates, product type and process. For example to produce 10 tonnes of collagen-cased sausage a week it is possible to produce savings of €5000 a week amounting to €250,000 a year, compared with the production time for the same amount of sausage in gut casing. Savings can be made at all stages in the process: • Preparation: up to 1 person less labour - Savings will depend on whether the gut is purchased in ready to use form or not, but there is no soaking, washing or preparation required with collagen • Filling: usually 2-4 people less in terms of labour - The actual saving will depend on the machine used and the product being made • Smokehouse throughput time: increased by around 15% • Packaging material usage: down by up to 5% due to consistency in sausage size • Total output: increased by up to 100% In Western Europe direct cost savings average €0.5 per kilo of finished sausage with additional savings from improved utilisation of the factory resources. The technical sales team at Devro can provide customers with a cost model calculator which allows an accurate measure for specific customer circumstances to be made.
Cost Savings
Benefits
Reason
Up to 1 person less labour Gut can need soaking Prep and preparation
Filling 2-4 people less labour Dependent on machine used & product made Smokehouse
15% increase in Due to increased throughput time capacity
Packaging
Up to 5% less required Due to consistency in sausage silo
Up to 100% increased total output overall with collagen
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In a recent conversion, the casing cost calculator was used to demonstrate to a producer that it cost up to 50% less to process a Vienna sausage in collagen as to process the equivalent quantity in gut. Wieners, each weighing 50gms with a diameter of 19mm and a length of 160mm, were made with a Handtmann twist linker and Mauer smoke house. With relatively low labour rates of only €7 per hour, the savings were €280 per tonne of sausage. In an eight hour shift €1250 of direct costs were saved. Including indirect costs in the calculation would add significantly to the savings. The production and smoking costs of wieners cased in collagen were compared with wieners cased with sheep gut.
SAVINGS IN TIME However, perhaps the most dramatic saving was in stuffing time, inclusive of breakages and reloading. It took just 25 minutes to stuff enough sausage to fill a single smoke house trolley with the collagen-cased wiener but 75 minutes to stuff the equivalent sheep gut casing; a saving of 50 minutes. Tests revealed that in one hour 384kg of collagen-cased wiener was prepared for the trolley, but only 125kg of sheep gut-cased wiener was produced. This was because the collagen was a more consistent product to work with less breakages or ‘ends’ than gut.
Savings in time Casing type
SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS EVEN WHEN LABOUR RATES ARE LOW
Collagen
Gut
THE FINANCIAL GAINS
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A total of 24 criteria, analysing cost savings along with productivity and weight gains were identified. Savings or gains were in favour of the collagen-cased wieners in 16 of the 24 criteria. Savings were made in the initial purchase of the collagen casing, with the manufacturer paying €92 per kilometre of collagen compared to €100 for sheep gut.
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Gut
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100
Cost Saving
200
300
400
500
600
No. of casings
Strands required
Gut
Gut
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Criteria for cost savings
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80
Collagen
Collagen
15
70
To produce 100kgs of weiner:
Collagen
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60
The efficiency of the collagen casing used was in marked contrast to the sheep gut. Only 500 metres of collagen casing was used to produce and smoke 100kgs of wiener. However an additional 100 metres of sheep gut was used to produce and smoke the same amount of wiener because of the additional ends, breaks, tears and imperfections present. A total of 47 strands of collagen was used per 100kg of wiener production while 75 separate pieces of sheep gut were used to produce the same quantity.
Financial gains in general
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Better collagen efficiancy
The same hanging and trolley-loading pattern was used for both the collagen and the gut-cased wieners. Smokehouse throughput was 17% lower using gut casing because of the processing time advantage for collagen and the more efficient loading of the smoke sticks. Collagen casing length is designed to optimise the whole smoke stick. This throughput difference provided the processor with a €20 per shift saving.
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BETTER COLLAGEN EFFICIENCY
Even in a relatively low wage country (€7 per hour) total labour cost savings were €12.50 when producing and smoking the collagen-cased sausage.
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Time
It took two employees to produce and smoke the collagencased wieners on a traditional twist linker, not an automatic machine, but the equivalent of two and a half employees to produce and smoke the equivalent amount of wieners in sheep gut.
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24
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
No. of strands required
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Casing cost calculator These cost savings could be critical for many producers. Retailers are looking for the best value for money for their premium and economy ranges. In addition, improvements in natural collagen quality and consistency, in conjunction with the current economic climate, should prompt sausage retailers and manufacturers to reconsider the use of natural collagen casings across their portfolio of products. This, in conjunction with high consumer acceptance of the latest products, means there is no quantifiable reason why not to make the switch from gut to natural collagen.
ITEMS in red are calculated using the Devro cost calculator. The Devro casing cost calculator takes into account the following areas of production to demonstrate measurable savings in sausage manufacture: Labour costs, hourly rate per person Number of operators required per function Cost of smoking house Type of sausage produced Type of casing used – gut or collagen Filling output Hanging pattern on trolley Loading pattern of trolley Stuffing time Net sausage weight per trolley Casing consumption Consumed casings Consumed strands/hanks Total filling costs are calculated Casings used Operators required
I can see the clear benefits of using collagen casings Medium sized European producer
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Cooking process Smoke house type Number of trolleys required Total gross weight in smoke house pre cooking Cooking time Net weight after cooking Weight loss Cooking output per hour Smoke house turnover Smoke house output per 8 hours Total savings achieved at given production volume
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C hapt e r 3
SAUSAGE MANUFACTURING Non financial advantages of production using collagen casings
In addition to the financial benefits of using collagen there can be considerable other advantages in using such a consistent product in sausage manufacturing.
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PRICING STABILITY – collagen casings are not subject to the same commodity pricing fluctuation as gut casing and stable pricing allows customers to budget, plan and cost their products effectively
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CONSISTENCY – Grade A+ consistency in product quality, together with effective size and length control, means that the same specification of sausage is produced every time
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EASY STORAGE – the stability of collagen allows simple and effective packaging for easy storage and use
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TRACEABILITY – there is a genuine traceability with collagen casings and raw materials can be traced back to source. Guarantees and EU collagen regulations offer assurance that the products are suitable for all producers
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APPEARANCE – consumers prefer the overall appearance of the sausage due to the consistency of the casing and the result is faster selling sausage products
TECHNICAL SUPPORT – Devro has a network of technicians to provide technical support for customers worldwide, ensuring that the best sausage possible is produced every time. In addition, well equipped development kitchens are available for producers to develop and test products and concepts in a controlled and cost effective environment
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SUPPLY RELIABILITY – with reliable sources of collagen, and with manufacturing facilities on three continents, Devro can assure customers of sustainable supply
These benefits, alongside the financial benefits, make the use of collagen casings an obvious choice for sausage manufacturers looking for a cost-effective, consistent product that is accepted by consumers.
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THE MARKET FOR COLLAGEN The combination of cost savings and consumer acceptance continues to drive strong demand for collagen casing since its introduction some 50 years ago, while the market for gut is often constrained by supply issues
COLLAGEN CASING - RATES OF GROWTH Rates of growth in the use of collagen casings varies in different parts of the world but the rate of conversion to collagen casing from gut casing has been, and continues to be, positive.
EUROPE Europe continues to be the biggest market for the use of collagen sausage casings and remains a market where there is enormous potential for future growth, including further conversion of users of gut to collagen. Many markets within Western Europe, including Germany, are highly developed, sophisticated and mature markets for sausage manufacture. Although they are mature markets many of the premium products remain in gut. As the new generation of collagen products are introduced more and more producers and retailers are looking closely at the savings to be made and the favourable consumer reaction to the collagen products. At one company where collagen conversion has been implemented on a trial basis, complaints about tough casing reduced from 6 per week to zero. This sort of reaction is indicative of what the industry can expect when the switch is made.
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OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD ASIA In Asia and the Pacific regions growth in use of collagen casing continued strongly. The fastest growing market for collagen casings is China, where use of the product has grown at a spectacular rate partly because of a growing popularity for Western-style sausages. The need for efficient delivery of quality sausage has driven producers to explore the benefits of collagen. In Japan recent growth has been rapid because of the increased recognition that collagen casings has for superb value for money and acceptance by consumers. A number of Japanese sausage manufacturers, which have traditionally been users of gut casings, are now switching more of their production to collagen.
THE AMERICAS The Americas has continued to be a strong market for collagen, particularly in small calibre sausage production. But the stars of the region are parts of Latin America where growth has been in double figures.
AFRICA A number of markets in Africa have also shown rapid growth.
GUT PRICES AND SUPPLY The fluctuation in supply and consequent price variation makes planning for any producer of sausage using gut extremely difficult. The price of both sheep gut and hog gut has risen significantly over the past two years with both products notably more expensive than collagen. Hog gut prices rose by 60 per cent throughout 2008 with prices almost doubling in some markets. Prices started to fall in 2009 with increasing availability due to growth in size of the Chinese pig herd. More than 60 per cent of the world’s pig population can be found in China. Prices have continued to ease through 2009 as the Chinese pig herd has increased, and with it improved availability of hog gut; but prices remain historically high.
This is the best casing I have ever worked with Medium sized sausage processor, central Europe
Supplies of sheep gut may well have peaked. Sheep gut prices have started to increase this year. In the longer term, diminishing sheep flocks in Australasia are likely to impact on the supply base for sheep gut. In New Zealand drought and a switch from sheep production to more profitable dairy farming has resulted in a diminishing flock size. Both hog and sheep gut continues to suffer from considerable price volatility and consistency in supply, making planning and costing difficult for users..
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C hapt e r 5
THE LATEST GENERATION OF COLLAGEN CASING A huge investment by Devro over many years has achieved a unique, modern collagen casing that has a far superior structure compared to the casings of a decade or more ago. No longer can claims that it is ‘artificial’ be substantiated. Devro has spent more than a decade investing in what is the latest generation of collagen casing by combining the best technological innovations of its three business divisions. Today modern natural collagen has a lightness combined with strength. The strength of the casing allows it to hold the sausage mix firmly in place, to retain a consistent size and shape and to produce the familiar ‘snap’ sound, or ‘knack’, that a good quality sausage makes when bitten into. The lightness of the casing’s texture means that it is almost undetectable on the palate with no trace of casing left in the mouth as the sausage is eaten. A new product development programme is expected to have a major impact on the entire market as more users make the switch to natural collagen.
CONSUMER RESEARCH The consumer, according to research, does not consider the type of casing as long as it does not affect three key areas of the sausage – colour, firmness and meat show. On the whole consumers do not know, and most have never considered, the origin of a sausage skin, say Taylor Nelson Sofres*. Furthermore consumers do not take the casing into account when deciding what makes a high quality sausage nor do they make any connection between traditional and premium sausage and the use of gut casing. In trials by ISI wieners in collagen were rated as significantly better overall than equivalent products in sheep gut.**
IMPROVEMENTS There have been many improvements in collagen casing over the past 50 years; some as a result of technical developments and others as a result of better plant manufacturing systems. Today collagen casing runs more efficiently on sausage production lines at much higher speeds. There are more variations of casing for different applications, and it is far easier and cost-effective to process smoked sausage. This is because collagen is a dryer product than gut, requiring a shorter drying time in the smoking process. Palatability is much improved too because collagen casings today are much lighter and far closer to the characteristics of gut casings.
Since we switched, complaints about tough bite have disappeared Major retailer, Europe
*TNS Market Research Report Oct 2009 **ISI Consumer Preference Tests Nov 2009
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