Food grade hoses

How are food grade hoses built?

PVC, EPDM, NBR rubber, or a PVC-rubber hybrid solution are most commonly used to produce food grade hose. As for the structure of the hose itself, it consists of three layers:

• inner layer - is very smooth, thus preventing contamination and biofilm settling. In addition, it does not adversely affect the quality of the food being shipped; 
• reinforcement - usually comes in the form of a textile braid. Its main purpose is to provide the hose with resistance to working pressure; 
• outer layer - is resistant to abrasion and weather conditions, thus increasing the life of the hose.

It is worth noting that some hoses for the food industry have additional reinforcement in the form of stainless steel spiral wire.  It provides greater durability and also allows for negative pressure work.

What distinguishes food grade hoses?

Food grade hoses are a specific product group because they come into contact with food. They have to meet a number of special requirements, which is why they are distinguished from other hoses by several important characteristics.

Consideration of standards

The European Union and national institutions strictly define which materials can be used in the food industry. Above all, they must be chemically inert so that they do not have a detrimental effect on the health of consumers. Standards are created for both food grade hoses and food grade fittings.

Furthermore, they must not affect the quality of the food, i.e., change its taste or smell, for example.

Each of these issues is regulated by standards, and food grade hoses meet them.

Food grade silicone hoses are a good example of chemically inert hoses.

Resistance to a specific medium

A food grade hose is divided into different types because of the medium it will work with. Therefore, not each one is suitable for universal use in the food industry.

For example, a drinking water hose will not work if you need a milk hose. This is because the latter must feature oil and grease resistance.

The wrong hose material can cause substances to migrate from the inner layer of the hose into the medium to be transported.

Special inner layer

Another important point in the construction of food grade hoses is their inner layer. It should not impede the flow of the medium in any way.

This is why it is very smooth and pore-free. This ensures that the food product does not adhere to the hose wall or penetrate the hose structure. What’s more, cleaning the hose becomes much easier.

Resistant to cleaning methods

As sterility is important when working with foodstuffs, the food hose should be resistant to the cleaning methods used in the plant. This includes, in particular, various cleaning agents (acids, bases, and alkalis), as well as sterilization, where hot steam is passed through the hose.

Make sure that the hose also meets your requirements in this respect.