Mammalien intentines - a versatile material

Abstract

Mammalian small intestines when viewed transversely under the microscope are found to be made up of five distinct layers constituting (a) mucosa (b) sub-mucosa (c) circular muscle, (d) longitudinal muscle and (c) serosa. Amino acid composition studies of the sub-mucosa have established that it is mainly composed of collagen. Its richness in collagen and high tensile strength make it ideally suitable for the manufacture of products like sausage, casings, sports gut. violin gut and surgical products like catgut. collagen sheet. etc. It can also he used as dialysis membrane and as a substrate for micro-scale tanning experiments. The mucosa is a good source for the manufacture of heparin. To achieve best results it is suggested that the cleaning of the intestine is initiated in the shortest possible time after the animal has been slaughtered and the cleaning and preservative operations are devised in a fashion that on-set of bacterial/fungal damage of the casings is completely arrested, giving a most hygienic and quality product.