LPT 312: Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology (1+1)

HIDE CURING

• In this case, drying is performed with the help of uniform and finally ground salt.
• It should be done immediately after flaying by either of the following two ways:
• Dry salting
• This is widely used in tropical countries.
• Salt packing helps in initial removal of moisture, the remaining being removed by exposure to air.
• Ideally, the store should have a temperature of about 15°C, a relative humidity of 85-90% with good ventilation and slated platform.
• It involves stacking the hides flesh side up and applying fine salt (2-3 mm) evenly.
• The quantity of salt applied matches with the weight of the each hide.
• Stacking should not be more than one meter in height.
• The moisture drains onto the floor. Such hides retain only 12% water.
• Wet salting
• This is done by preparing a curing solution consisting of 23 kg pure salt and 62 kg of water for 100 kg of hides.
• A saturated brine solution can also serve the same purpose.
• The hides are soaked in this solution in a pit of 1.25 meters for a few days.
• The time varies from 48 hrs for fleshed hides and 2 weeks for unfleshed hides.
• The hides are put on the slatted platform for draining. Such hides are left with only 35% water.