UNITED KINGDOM.
SAUSAGE CASING CRISIS
In recent years 90pc of the raw intestines, for sausage casings in Australia and New Zealand have been sent to China for cleaning.
This has been done for labor and pollution reasons, with the finished product being exported to Europe. The increased local demand for the emerging Chinese market have meant less material has been available for export.
Great Britain have been sending casings to china for cleaning also and have been captivated in the same situation, meaning that prices have now doubled for sausage casings in Europe.
Whilst the quality of synthetic casings has been revolutionary over the last 10 years, nothing has been produced to date, to satisfy the demand for natural casings.
When meat prices are high, the demand for cheaper meat in sausages increases and unless a suitable synthetic material can be found, the humble sausage is also going to become a luxury food item
