Mechanical and barrier characteristics of colored edible collagen casings

The paper is consented with the possibility of food grade colors incorporation (in different concentrations) into edible collagen casings. The barrier characteristics of the control (K) and t\\'o experimental groups of colored edible collagen casings (O I and O II) were investigated after the production and different periods of storage. The analysis of the obtained results shows that food grade colors, added in different concentrations to the collagen casings, influence some parameters of mechanical characteristics - tearing force in the first place. Tearing force of dry casings increases and of wet casings decreases with the increase of color concentration. During storage, the tearing force of dry samples was decreasing and of the wet ones increasing. The effect of added food-grade color on water-vapor permeability is minor, and the values are very high and uniform in all three investigated groups. The addition of color to casings resulted in significantly lower transparency, and increased color concentration caused further decrease of transparency.