Standards and rules for using polymer (food grade) in the food industry:
That is, materials that are in direct contact with water and human food must have special standards
When factories build or service machines, it is their responsibility to understand the ingredients and how to use them.
Food grade equipment and machines are important because the products are usually in direct contact with the machines that produce the food products. The chemical compounds in the material may be leached into the exposed product, or in some circumstances may lead to the transfer of small particles of the material directly to the product being consumed.
These hazards are avoided when equipment is designed to be food grade
In the following, we will briefly talk about food grade parts in the food industry.
Polymer plastic (food grade):
Food grade plastic has a long shelf life and raw materials that do not contain nano materials are used. Its basic materials are based on food grade materials or polymers. Plastic is made of polymer, and polymers are produced by joining monomers together
Due to compliance with all health requirements for this type of plastic, it is one of the best Food Grade standards in polyethylene materials, which means that the packaging is safe for long-term food storage.
In low-quality recycled plastics, there is a possibility of separating some monomers and entering them into the food. The choices are for food packaging.
Food grade plastics have the following features:
Polyethylene material
Can be printed
High wear resistance
Transparent color and uniform texture
The possibility of production in various dimensions and thicknesses
Maintaining the health and hygiene of food from the stage of production to use
Preventing chemical changes in food products
It does not get corroded or oxidized.
Escher foam food grade
This type of washers are polyethylene foam and are widely used in sealing food and medicine containers and have a very high resistance against acidic corrosive substances.
What is a silicone gasket?
Silicone sealants are actually called gaskets. These silicone sealants are used for devices in the food industry to prevent leakage into the empty space between two objects. These washers can be used in environments under air or water pressure and leaks in the food industry. Therefore, they are the best option for sealing parts in food factories. These gaskets (washers) are widely used in food production machinery workshops. Silicone gaskets (washers) have properties such as weather resistance, high electrical resistance, adhesion and resistance to fire and high temperature. Silicone gaskets (washers) are usually made from cut sheets of silicone.
The use of o-rings and silicone gaskets in the food industry
O-rings are usually considered a type of gasket (washer) due to their sealing properties. The cross section of O-rings is circular. When O-rings are under pressure as seals in food industry machinery, they do not need other materials such as glue for adhesion when pressed. These sealing parts are usually flexible. They have a smooth surface and usually cannot be used more than once.
It is very important to choose the right gasket (washer) for use in food factories, otherwise they will not seal well.
In terms of hygiene, the silicone and the material with which this piece is made must be food grade silicone. One of the most common types of silicone sealants or gaskets is fireproof and silicone seals, which are used in industrial food machinery depending on their properties.
What is food grade silicone hose?
Food grade hose is one of the most common items used in the food technology industry. These hoses are very flexible. In addition, food grade hoses suitable for the food industry are also very resistant to shrinkage and tearing. In addition, they are very suitable for use with food industry pumps. Silicone tubing is commonly used for all types of pumps. In addition to being used in the food industry, these food grade pipes are also used in pharmaceutical, laboratory, biochemical and beverage industries. They are available in different inner diameters and different wall thicknesses. Due to its unique physical and chemical properties, food grade silicone hoses are used in many industries, such as the following industries:
construction
Pharmacology
laboratory
machinery
power industy
Medicinal
dietary
Characteristics of food grade hoses:
These tubes are usually transparent
They are odorless and tasteless
It is free of toxic substances
It withstands temperatures from 100 to +250 degrees Celsius
These food grade hoses are made of 100% pure silicone polymer
As a result, they are very suitable from the point of view of health and are specially prepared for the food industry.
What is a silicone o-ring?
O-ring is a rubber or plastic ring that has a circular cross-section. O-rings in food industry factories are used in a closed circle in food technology. In food industry machines, O-rings are placed statically, fixedly and without movement. There are other models of O-rings that are supposed to rotate dynamically. People mistakenly call any rubber rim an O-ring, for example X-rings (X), V-rings (V) rings and even rubber flat washers are also called O-rings, while to distinguish an O-ring, you need to pay attention to its cross section. do.
How to seal with an O-ring meter in the food industry
Sometimes it happens that the suitable O-ring used for use in a piece of food industry is not generally available in the market. For this reason, metric O-rings can be used for the use of these O-rings. The method of installing and sealing with metric O-rings for factory machines is that we need as many O-rings as we need for sealing. We take it and stick its two ends to each oth er with O-ring glue. These O-rings can be used in the same way to seal food industry machines.
Do not take 304 or 430 stainless steel sheet, which is better?
When it comes to stainless steel, the lower the grade, the better. The most common and most expensive grade of steel is type 304, which contains approximately 18% chromium and 8% nickel. For this reason, Type 304 stainless steel gas grills are more durable and withstand heat better than Type 430.