EFFECTS OF TYPES AND LEVELS OF FAT AND RATES AND TEMPERATURES OF COMMINUTION ON THE PROCESSING AND CHARACTERISTICS OF FRANKFURTERS

ABSTRACT— Frankfurter emulsions containing either 25% or 35% beef fat, pork fat, or cottonseed oil were prepared by comminuting at 1500, 2500, or 5000 rpm to temperatures ranging from 45°–85°F. Data were obtained on the viscosities of the emulsions; except for initially high viscosities for which unmelted fat was responsible, the viscosities of emulsions containing the fats, or oil, were similar: viscosities tended to decrease with increasing time and temperature of chopping. The frankfurters were stuffed, smoked, and cooked, and data were obtained on shrinkage, fat retention, ease of peeling, specific gravity, and texture. Shrinkage was inversely related to content of fat. Fat separation mainly occurred in processing frankfurters containing beef fat; the data suggest that emulsions containing beef fat should be comminuted to 65°–75°F to avoid possible under or overchopping: the results show that optimum conditions were time as well as temperature dependent. The air content of frankfurters varied inversely with the maximum temperature attained during communition. Frankfurter skin strength was lessened on increasing the temperatures to which emulsions were communited; elasticity, the equivalent of rubberiness, decreased under these conditions.