METHODS AND MATERIALS FOR SPLICING TUBULAR FOOD CASINGS

A splice for regenerated cellulose tubular food casing. The splice includes a splicing tape comprising a regenerated cellulose film coated on at least one surface with a polyvinylidene chloride polymer (saran) and having a film thickness of 0.002 to 0.01 inches. The splicing tape is perforated to remove from ten to thirty percent of the area of the film. The removal of material from the splicing tape provides an elongation at break of at least twenty percent at a tensile force of between 500 and 1250 psi in a direction transverse to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the casing. The break force in that direction should be at least 100 psi greater than the force required to obtain the desired elongation. To form the splice, the splicing tape is wrapped around and sealed at the coated surface to a leading end of a first regenerated cellulose tubular food casing and a trailing end of a second regenerated cellulose tubular food casing wherein the ends are proximate each other.