Can You Freeze Sausage Casings?

In sausage processing facilities, it may seem practical to stockpile natural casings and store them long-term. But despite the volume of casings used in large-scale manufacturing, freezing is never an acceptable storage method. So—can you freeze sausage casings?

While it is possible to freeze casings, we strongly discourage it. 

Learn why freezing your casings can take months off their shelf life and strategies for ensuring optimal casing quality for your premium sausage products. 

Why Storage Methods Matter for Sausage Casings

How you store your sausage casings makes a big difference in the taste, texture, and quality of your final product. Additionally, proper storage techniques can help ensure a more efficient (and thus, more affordable) manufacturing process.

Maintaining Casing Integrity for High-Volume Production

One of the main motivators for by-the-book storage methods is a smoother production process. This is because proper storage preserves casing elasticity and strength—both of which are integral to machinability.

Impacts of Improper Storage 

Incorrect storage sabotages casing performance, texture, and safety. 

Here are some common examples of improper storage:,,,

  • Too-high or too-low temperatures — While artificial casings only require a cool environment, natural casings should be stored at 40°F (4.4°C).
  • Unsealed containers — Incorrectly sealed containers or bags can expose your casings to excess moisture, making them vulnerable to bacterial growth. 
  • Lack of salt — Salt stunts microbial activity before your natural casings develop “off” odors and coloring. 

Any slip-up above is bad news for both your casings and your budget. 

Different Casings & Their Storage Needs 

Natural casings originate from hog, sheep, or beef digestive tracts. Artificial casings (such as collagen or fibrous) are composed of food-grade materials designed for uniformity and machinability. As such, each type of casing does best under different storage conditions.

Here’s a general breakdown of how to care for these different types of casings:

  • Natural casings — All types of natural casings require a generous coating of dry salt or brine.
  • Collagen & cellulose casings (artificial) — Artificial casings require no refrigeration or soaking. They should be stored in an airtight container or sealed bag and placed in a cool, dry place. Avoid direct sunlight, heat, and temperature fluctuations. 

When in doubt, refer to the instructions that arrive with your order of natural or artificial casings. 

You can always assume, however, that your casings should never be frozen.

Why Freezing Sausage Casings Is Not Recommended

Put simply, freezing your casings isn’t recommended as it prevents peak performance through the loss of elasticity and strength. 

Risk of Breakage & Reduced Elasticity

In general, freezing your sausage casings jeopardizes their built-in strength and flexibility. Even after being thawed out, they might remain brittle and prone to breakage on the stuffing assembly line. 

Moisture Crystallization & Structural Damage

Freezing draws moisture to the casing’s surface as ice, often leading to significant damage once thawed. In fact, studies show that moisture crystallization can have the following negative effects on frozen food products:

  • Compromised structure and texture 
  • Depleted nutrients 
  • Creation of an “off” flavor 

In natural casings specifically, proper storage and soaking allow the collagen fibers to absorb moisture. In turn, the casing walls maintain their elasticity.

Consequences for Industrial Processing 

The loss of elasticity, strength, and quality that can occur after freezing sausage casings comes with significant consequences. 

Most notably, previously frozen casings are less compatible with stuffing equipment. As a result, the sausage production process becomes slower and more painstaking. Plus, serious damage can make casings impossible to manipulate, since stuffing requires extension and retraction in different directions. 

To ensure high-level casing performance for your premium sausage emulsions, take the time and care to store casings correctly. 

Handling Soaked Natural Casings Post-Use

Leftover casings require a special care regimen before and after long-term refrigerated storage.

Rinsing and Re-salting before Re-storage

Let’s say you’ve completed a batch of sausages, but you have some extra natural casings leftover. How do you store them?

Follow these steps to ensure your casings remain in optimal shape for your next order:

  • Drain casings to flush out possible workplace contaminants 
  • Apply fresh, dry salt coating to all surfaces of each strand of casing and allow it to drain for 40 minutes. 
  • After draining, store the casings in either dry salt or brine.
  • Record the date and restore them in your industrial fridge 

These measures will help protect your casings from bacteria and prevent them from drying out, preserving their overall quality. 

How Oversea Casing Ensures Safe, Reliable Casings

Whether you’re wondering, “Can you freeze sausage casings,” “Do you have to refrigerate sausage casings,” or anything else, Oversea Casing is here to provide expertise, guidance, and premium casings for all your manufacturing needs.

Commit to less waste, more savings, and better sausages with Oversea Casing. 

Sources: 

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Meat Processing Technology for Small - to Medium - Scale Producers. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/4cfabbd3-16aa-47f8-ac6f-b54a48cb8abd/content

Science Direct. Collagen use for co-extruded sausage casings – A review. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224420305124

Science Direct. Effect of initial mild curing, with additives, of hog and sheep sausage casings on their microbial quality and mechanical properties after storage at different temperatures. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0309174098001181?via%3Dihub

Science Direct. Regulating ice formation for enhancing frozen food quality: Materials, mechanisms, and challenges. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224423002224#:~:text=Besides%2C%20recrystallization%20promotes%20the%20probability%20of%20large,could%20cause%20serious%20damage%20to%20food%20quality.

Science Direct. Sausage Casing. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/sausage-casing