Question

Which of the following thermoplastic types is most suitable for the manufacturing of synthetic casings for packing of fish sausage

• A. Polypropylene
• B. PVDC
• C. LDPE
• D. HDPE

Hint:

PVDC casing is the industry standard for fish sausage because of its unique high-barrier property against gases, which keeps the product sterile and prevents rancidity for several months at room temperature.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Fish sausage is a pasteurized/sterilized comminuted fish product.
The casing material must survive thermal processing while preventing moisture and oxygen transmission to ensure a long shelf-life.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) is the most suitable and widely utilized synthetic thermoplastic casing for fish sausages.
PVDC exhibits:
- Extremely low permeability to oxygen and water vapor, preventing lipid oxidation and weight loss.
- Excellent heat-shrinkable properties, wrapping tightly around the meat.
- High thermal stability, allowing the stuffed sausage to be pasteurized in boiling water at \(85\text{--}90^\circ\text{C}\) or autoclaved without deforming.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is (B).