Smoked bacon production

Hello,
I need help regarding smoked bacon production. I'm looking for a system to produce smoked bacon in a cook-in bag to prevent cross contamination during packaging.

This is my flow chart:
injection>massage>packaging>cooking>un-packaging >smoking> cooling> packaging > storage.

I would like to do this:
injection>massage>packaging>cooking>cooling>storage.

Dear antoni,

Not my area but looks a quite specialised item. There are some "meat" people here but I don't think they've been on-line last few days.

To illustrate my ignorance, do you mean something like this but suitable for large scale ? -

http://www.thenibble...smoker-bags.asp

I did notice some "cook-in-bag", prior to packing, links in google but nothing on smoking. Is this product supposed to be shelf-stable ?

Rgds / Charles.C

Thanks Charles.

The product is not shelf-stable. It is necessary to keep it in a refrigerator between 0º-5ºC. Regarding the "cook-in bag", here you have a sample: http://www.sealedair...agscasings.html

Currently we are cooking the bacon in a bag (to reduce weight decrease) . Then we remove the bag and put the pieces of bacon in the oven-smoker. After smoking and chilling, the pieces are packaged in a plastic bag. I would like to do cooking and smoking in one process step (as a medium/low quality cooked ham).

I got it: http://www.viskase.c...isProductLine=0

Dear antoni,

Congratulations on yr searching ability. I wud call this a highly specialised product.

I did notice that (unlike the other products) there is no mention of what the plastic material etc actually is. I presume its suitability for the designated food use has to be approved by somebody.?

BTW, I wud guess you are the only poster from yr stated location.

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear Antoni,
it would be better if you could share details of the bacon you want to produce (i.e. is it rolled bacon, pressed bacon, hanged bacon etc...)
The particular product from viscase -as I understand- is suitable for rolled sliced bacon...which means that if you want to produce the typical bacon slabs, you will not be able to fit the bellies in the casing...

please clarify if its possible

dear snitzel,
I want to produce this:

Now we're cooking the bacon in a sealed bag. After cookig and cooling, and without the plastic bag, the bacon is smoked in the oven. Then there is a packaging step. I would like to do it without the plastic bag change, all in a step.

Dear Antoni,

I just found some stuff that might be useful to you (mostly as general knowledge). I will look for more specific stuff also. I think the most useful link to your question is the last one. Check them out:


Cured and/or smoked meats

Ethical traceability in the bacon supply chain

Bacon - How its made (video)

DanTech Continuous Microwave Bacon Cooking Test (video)

DanTech BP1 Bacon Press

DanTech Bacon Wrapper

The microbiology and spoilage of bacon

Spoilage of vacuum-packed bacon

Smoking (colour atlas)

Meat Science

Flexible food packaging: questions and answers - Which is the best bacon package?


Good luck!
Filip

My bad... I just saw the picture. You have a big package of bacon and not sliced one :S Damn! Sorryz!

Sorry for the late reply but its been very hectic at work....
Now, as far as I know there are no packaging materials that you can use and produce bacon "in one step"... unfortunately the high fat content as well as the brine you inject wont stay inside the pork bellies. Hence (as you probably already know) there is no point in direct smoking or use of "pre-smoked" packaging materials because at the end of the process you will get a product that, at best, has patches of smoke and is not uniformelly smoked...
The only way I know, is basically the process you currently apply, with all the drawbacks that come with it (too much labour, contamination hazards, too messy when unpacking the bacon slabs etc...)....