Smoke room and maturation store

Before the raw sausages can reach maturity they are moved in rows, hanging in a smoke wagon, into the climate chamber. Here the maturity process for the fresh sausages at a relative humidity of 96-98% and a temperature of 25°C begins. This procedure is known as “reddening”.

After this process the sausages are moved on into the capable hands of “smoke and maturity master” Günter and his team. He holds the responsibility for the optimal cycle of the smoke program in the smoke room. At Astro the complete smoked goods are gently smoked using beechwood. Depending on the type and maturity of the sausage, a measured amount of smoke is introduced.

Even though in a highly modernised sausage factory much runs fully automatically – e.g., electronic sensors ensure the optimal temperature and humidity in the chamber – the smoke master is still an important factor in this process.
With the typical “sausage grip” he regularly checks the state of maturity for the sausages and ensures a continuous fine climatic adjustments when needed.

When the raw sausage reaches its optimal condition at the end of the smoking process it has lost a considerable amount of weight.

Finally the sausages reach the maturity store, where they rest under the supervision of the “maturity master”, until they gently reach full maturity. Here in constantly controlled climatic conditions they reach full maturity and firmness, and their typical delicious taste.

At the end of the maturing process some varieties are moved for further refinement to the coating department whilst others are now ready for packing and consignment.

Now the salamis have already a two to four week maturity behind them.