Old World Tradition Meets New World Expertise.

Snack Stick Technical Data

Information for any meat type snack stick – Beef, Pork, Poultry, Bison, Exotic, and Wild Game.  Sodium Nitrite can only be used with ameniable meats or formulations containing at least 3% meat.  Fat contents cannot exceed 30%.  Too lean results in a tough, rubbery texture and it’s costly.

Manufacture Snack Sticks using:

• Cellulose Casings – Must be peeled off after cooking.
• Collagen Casings – The most popular, choose natural or mahogany(smoked color), 15,16,18,19,21 or23mm
• Natural Casings – Lamb or Sheep 20-22MM
• Some extrude without a casing.  They must be cooked and smoked on a shelf.

Shelf Stability Must Meet the Following Criteria:

• pH 5.2 and Aw <0.95 or pH <5.0 or Aw <0.91

Lower the pH through addition of:

• A Starter Culture and fermentation cycle during cooking.
• Addition of encapsulated acids approximately 12 to 16oz per 100# of meat.
• Addition of Glucono Delta Lactone (GDL) 16-20oz per 100# of meat.  Adding more does not influence pH reduction.

Lowering the WA (Water Activity) can be accomplished through drying or tying up the free water in a meat system.  Sodium or Potassium Lactate will not only tie up some water, it also inhibits the growth of many microorganisms to include Listeria.  Prior to packaging, Snack Sticks can be dipped in or sprayed with a solution of Potassium Sorbate to inhibit mold growth.  The USDA recommends 3.25oz dissolved in 1 gallon of water.

Helpful Hint: 1 ounce per 100# batch of Sodium Phosphate will reduce surface tension resulting in faster stuffing and a reduction in the amount of smearing.