IE70300B1

IE70300B1 - Hide preservation

Info

Publication number: IE70300B1
Application number: IE31591A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Richard Mccarthy
Original assignee: Curry Holdings O
Priority date: 1991-01-30
Filing date: 1991-01-30
Publication date: 1996-11-13
Also published as: IE910315A1

Description

The invention relates to the preservation of hides. In particular, the invention relates to the long term preservation of hides.

Hides are removed from a carcass by flaying. As soon as the hide is removed it begins to deteriorate due to the action of putrefying bacteria. For short term preservation a cold flayed hide is trimmed, spread out, flesh side up, and sprinkled with salt. The salt penetrates the hide structure causing dehydration which retards the action of the putrefying bacteria. Such conventional techniques, however, only preserve hides for a relatively short period of time.

There is therefore a need for a method for the long term preservation of hides.

According to the invention there is provided a method for the long term preservation of hides comprising the steps ofstrimming fresh raw hides; covering the flesh side of the hide with dry salt; allowing the salted hides to cure; removing excess salt from the cured hides; applying a brine solution to the flesh side of the hides to restore between 50 and 90% of the moisture to the hides? s applying dry salt to the brined flesh side of the hides to re-cure the hides? retaining moisture on the hides in storage by turning in side edges of the hides? stacking the hides so that one hide is at least partially on another hide?and storing the hides in stacked condition.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the dried salt applied on re-curing contains a fungicide.

In one embodiment of the invention the concentration of fungicide in the dry salt is from 0.5% to 3% by weight. Most preferably, the concentration of fungicide is from 1% to 2% by weight.

Typically the fungicide comprises naphthalene.

Most preferably, the brine solution is such as to restore approximately 80% of the moisture to the hide.

Preferably, the flesh side of the hide is covered with dried salt in an amount of from 50 to 70% of the raw hide weight.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hides are stored at a temperature of 5°C or less.

The invention also provides hides whenever preserved by the method of the invention.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only.

Hides are removed from a carcass by flaying. As soon as the hides are removed they are washed to remove blood and the like and to cool the hide.

Fresh raw hides are then trimmed and sorted. In this stage substantially all of the flesh is removed from the hides.

The trimmed hides are then laid flesh side up and sprinkled with dry salt (sodium chloride), Coarse salt is generally preferred to ensure an even spread and effective action. The amount of salt used is important. Generally the amount is from 50 to 70% of the raw hide weight.

A second hide is placed on the first hide and is also sprinkled with dry salt. Further hides are then placed one on top of another to form stacks. The salt penetrates the hide structure causing dehydration of the structure and retarding the action of putrefying bacteria.

The stack of hides is left on a flat surface for approximately twenty-one days at which stage surplus moisture is leached out of the hides. The cured hides are then categorised and either passed directly to the tanning process or in the invention passed to a long term preservation processing stage which is described below.

Excess salt is removed from the hides by shaking or sweeping the salt from the hide. The hides are then sprayed with a brine solution which is such as to restore between SO and 90, most preferably approximately 80% of the moisture content of the hide.

Immediately the cured hides have been sprayed with the brine solution the hides are re-cured by sprinkling fresh dried salt. The fresh dried salt contains a fungicide such as c naphthalene in a dry powder form and in an amount of 0.5 to 3% by weight, most preferably approximately 1 to 2% by weight.

To retain moisture on the hide in storage all the corners and peripheral edges of the hides are turned in on themselves and the hides are placed one on top of the another in such a way that the brine solution which is sprayed on the flesh sides of the hide is held by the sides of the hide.

A typical brine solution used in the long term preservation process is made up by filling a 45 gallon (204.5 litres) capacity drum with water at room temperature. Between 84 and 112 (38.1 to 50.8 kgs) pounds of dry salt are added to the water and the mixture is stirred to dissolve the salt and form a solution which is almost saturated.

The pile of hides are stored in a cool warehouse at a temperature of preferably less than 5°C. Air circulation is important to prevent dry rot.

The hides are checked during storage to ensure that no deterioration takes place. In some cases the hides may be lifted and re-processed through the long term preservation process described above.

Hides processed in this way can be stored for very long periods and are therefore available for re-processing as the market demands.

Many variations on the specific embodiment of the invention described will be readily apparent and accordingly the invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described but may be varied in detail.

Claims

1. CIAXH£

1. A method for the long term preservation of hides comprising the steps ofstrimming fresh raw hides; 5 covering the flesh side of the hides with dry salt; allowing the salted hides to cure; removing excess salt from the cured hides; applying a brine solution to the flesh side of the hides to restore between 50 and 90% of the moisture 10 to the hides; applying dry salt to the brined flesh side of the hides to re-cure the hides; retaining moisture on the hides in storage by turning in side edges of the hides; 15 stacking the hides so that one hide is at least partially on another hide;and storing the hides in stacked condition.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the dried salt applied on re-curing contains a fungicide. 20

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the concentration of fungicide in the dry salt is from 0.5% to 3% by weight.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the concentration ’ of fungicide is from 1% to 2% by weight.

5. A method as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 wherein the fungicide comprises naphthalene. 5

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the brine solution is such as to restore approximately 80% of the moisture to the hides.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the fresh side of the hides are covered with dried salt in an 10 amount of from 50 to 70% of the raw hide weight.

8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the hides are stored at a temperature of 5°C or less.

9. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the example. Hides whenever preserved by a method as claimed in any preceding claim.