Food safety is about making sure there are no flies in your soup, no hair in your hamburger, and no contaminants in your conveying system. As bulk material processors, you can’t do much about the first two, so let’s focus on minimizing contamination in your process.
The current state of food safety
In 2024, there have never been more factors affecting the food industry. Prices for agricultural commodities like sugar and soybean oil have fluctuated unpredictably, surging and dipping in response to political instability, natural disasters, and new regulatory policies.
Regulations can be particularly tricky. In the United States alone, food manufacturers are working overtime to comply with state bans on synthetic chemicals in food packaging, new federal requirements for food traceability records, and additions to 2023’s Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act.
In other words, it’s never been more important to have a solid system in place to prevent contamination in your process. With five types of food contamination — chemical, physical, microbial, allergenic, and environmental — your conveying system needs every possible advantage against the threat of contaminants.
4 ways to keep your process food-safe
1) Stick to a maintenance schedule
When left unchecked, material buildup can contaminate your end product. First, it can create a breeding ground for bacteria, fungi, and molds, all of which lead to microbial contamination. If you process allergens in the same line as other materials, the surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized thoroughly to prevent allergenic contamination.
Buildup also eventually leads to corrosion in your machinery, which can cause physical contamination if particles of rusted metal combine with your ingredients.
With that in mind, cleaning and maintaining your equipment should be a high priority. A historical maintenance log will help you predict which parts need to be replaced ahead of time and diagnose any potential issues that may be shortening the lifespan of your equipment.
2) Consider coatings and materials
The coatings and materials used in the design of your equipment affect the potential for contamination and corrosion, not to mention its lifespan.
For sanitary applications, 304 and 316 stainless-steel are two of your best options. They resist corrosion from both alkaline and acidic materials, unlike aluminum.
In the case of rotary valves, a coating called XTR-Coat is often used for its excellent performance in corrosive, acidic, and sanitary applications. It complies with FDA and USDA standards for food-grade applications, and its non-stick surface helps prevent material from building up inside the valve.
3) Look for smooth, rounded surfaces
Any piece of food-grade equipment must be constructed with the proper welding and finishing techniques. Make sure this machinery has smooth internal surfaces, because tiny cracks or crevasses are prime areas for material to build up. Smooth surfaces are also easier to clean, which should help you keep to that maintenance schedule we mentioned.
If joints are necessary, like the connection point between a rotary valve and hopper, they should be joined with a running weld or sanitary joint. Our MD Series Valve is a great example of this with its universal ANSI class 150-flange bolt pattern, which makes it compatible with most food-grade pneumatic conveying systems.
In general, rounded edges are much easier to clean. Hard angles create corners where material can pack in, build up, and make cleaning a pain. When your equipment isn’t designed with sanitation in mind, even the most diligent worker can make mistakes, so it’s important to set yourself up for success from the beginning.
4) Find quick-cleaning features
Ask your equipment supplier about any other features specifically designed to prevent buildup and corrosion, minimize human error, and make cleaning easier. In the rotary valve world, we often specify rotors with U-shaped vanes for that easy-to-clean rounded edge.
Valves built on rail systems are another solid choice. Our MD Series Valve with Quick-Clean RotorRails provides quick, tool-less access to the valve’s internal surfaces, which saves food processors hours of cleaning time each day.
When in doubt, ask ACS Valves
From equipment longevity to NFPA compliance, there are plenty more rotary valve features available to support your food processing system. To ask one of our friendly reps to help you navigate the best options for your application, contact ACS Valves today.
