FLEISCHWIRTSCHAFT international 6/2018

Fleischwirtschaft international 6_2018
19
Casings
the outside of aproduct. It is athin
layer of edible material formed as a
coating on amuscle food product
(KANG et al., 2013)and applied in
liquid form on the food, usually by
immersing the product in the solution
of edible material (FALGUERA et
al., 2011)and then allowing excess
coating to drain as it dries and
solidifies (BALDWIN et al., 2011). In
Figure 2aflow diagram shows the
preparation of an edible coated meat
product. It is the process of making
“further processed products”.
During the coating process, the
sticky coating solution flows vertically
to the treated meat items, and
the products are coated by viscous
and gravitational forces (ZHONG et
al., 2014). Dipping is used to provide
an adhesive matrix that improves
binding between the final coating
and the underlying skin or meat
surface.
Their growing application is
attributable to preserving the nutritive
value, reduction of moisture
loss, weight loss, adverse chemical
reactions (BALDWIN and WOOD,
2006; OSORIO et al., 2011), spoilage
(ARVANITOYANNIS,2010)and improving
juiciness and tenderness.
Additionally,they can be used for
controlled release of functional
ingredients (BARRETO et al., 2003).
Although edible coatings are not
meant to entirely replace conventional
packaging, the efficiency of
food protection can be enhanced by
combining primary,edible and
secondary inedible packaging
(DEBEAUFORT et al., 1998) and play
an important role in preservation,
distribution and marketing of food.
2010). To evaluate the behavior and
composition of edible coatings, the
most important properties to be
studied are its thickness, transparency,adhesion,
cohesion, wetability,solubility,mechanical,
thermal,
barrier,sensory properties and
microbiological stability (FALGUERA
et al., 2011;SKURTYS et al., 2010).
The selection of an appropriate
coating method not only impacts the
preservation effect of the coatings
formed on the food items, but also
determines the production cost and
process efficiency (SKURTYS et al.,
2010). Furthermore, the formation of
coatings can be affected by factors
such as drying method, time, temperature
etc. (SKURTYS et al., 2010).
The drying process of edible coatings
does not involve solvent dispersion
as it relies on inherent thermoplastic
behavior of some biopolymers and
are produced by compression, molding
or extrusion (POMMET,etal.,
2005; LIU,etal., 2006). Edible coatings
may be applied to meat and
meat products by foaming, dipping,
spraying, brushing or spreading to
create amodified atmosphere
(GALUS and KADZINSKA,2015).
However,most applications are
based on the formation of the thin
coating directly on the surface of the
product by dipping or spraying the
coating solution (DEA et al., 2011).
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Methods
The functionality and performances
of edible coatings depend on the
coating methods, coating ability to
adhere to the product surface and
the coating materials properties such
as type, amount, density,surface
tension and viscosity (TAVASSOLI-
KAFRANI et al., 2016;DHANAPAL et
al., 2012;DEBEAUFORT and VOILLEY,
2009). Coating solution viscosity is a
key parameter for good quality
products and accurate weight control,
however;the surface of meat
products should better be aflat one
(ZHONG et al., 2014). Forthe same
coating material and coating
method, the protection effect of an
edible coating will also depend on
the composition, surface morphology,size,
and shape of the product
matrix to be coated (SKURTYS et al.,