What kind of valves can be used in the food and beverage industry?

The food and beverage processing industry spans a wide range, from milk and dairy products to bread and baked goods categories. Because there are many types of processing media, it is important to know exactly what you need to process the media. Understanding the unique complexity of the food or beverage medium you will be using is key to finding the ideal valve to meet your processing needs. There are many factors to consider, including the temperature, pressure, viscosity of the medium and the elements the valve will be in contact with. In order to get the best results and ensure the safe processing of food and beverage, the best products on the market must be used. So how to choose the food-grade valve?

Direct Contact Valve and Utility Service Valve

Valves in the food and beverage processing industry are divided into two main categories: direct contact valves and utility service valves. For direct contact valves, as the name implies, all valves are in direct contact with food, such as milk, soda, condiments and meat. Due to its corrosion resistance, the most commonly used material for direct contact valves is stainless steel. Harsh corrosive cleaners are used to ensure the hygiene of direct contact valves, and stainless steel can withstand such corrosives. Utility service valves can not be in direct contact with food. Therefore, these valves are suitable for handling substances such as steam, water and other non-food related resources.

Food Processing Solenoid Valve

In food processing, solenoid valves are one of the most commonly used valves on the market. Many solenoid valves are designed to withstand humid and corrosive environments and extreme room temperatures. Because stainless steel is resistant to contamination, solenoid valves are usually made of stainless steel. For these reasons, solenoid valves are very suitable for food processing. Stainless steel solenoid valves are commonly used in the meat and abattoir industries, fish canneries, salting systems, fruit and vegetable canneries, and ready-to-eat industries. Stainless steel solenoid valves are also used in salmon packaging lines, fillet preparation systems, and pasteurization systems.

Sanitary Ball Valve for Beverage Processing

Sanitary valves are designed for applications that require cleaning or aseptic processing. In order to make the valve considered sanitary, the valve shall not have gaps or cavities to prevent the growth and propagation of bacteria. Wet surfaces (surfaces in contact with the process medium) must be sanded and their radius must be minimal to avoid any and all sticking or stagnation. Sanitary ball valves provide tight closing and characteristic control.

There are many types of sanitary valves, such as globe valves, diaphragm valves, pinch valves, butterfly valves. For beverage processing, it is preferrd to use hygienic ball valves. Due to the design of the regulating elements, they have a high range ratio and do not have the complexity of lateral loads common in butterfly or globe valves. Although plastic, brass, and other materials can be used for sanitary applications, stainless steel is preferred in most cases. Some of the most common sanitary valve applications are used in dairy processing, brewing, and wine and spirits manufacturing.

Maintaining hygienic standards is especially important in the food and beverage industry. Therefore, food-grade valvesneed adequately and safely control the flow of liquids and gases to ensure hygiene standards in the food and beverage industry.