How Stainless Steel Products Prevent Food Contamination

Stainless steel products are standard in the food and beverage industry for several reasons. The primary reason is that stainless steel is easier to keep clean, preventing food contamination. Food contamination is especially a concern in commercial kitchens, which is why gleaming stainless steel restaurant kitchens are the norm. The chemical composition of stainless steel combined with the finish on the metal gives it corrosion resistance that prolongs the life of the products while also keeping the food preparation area hygienic.

Food processing and food preparation areas come into contact with corrosive substances every day. These substances include natural acids in food and chemicals in cleaning products. Food prep areas are also often cleaned with pressurized water streams. Other metals would quickly corrode under these circumstances, which is why stainless steel is so crucial to the food and beverage industry.

The food and beverage industry relies on stainless steel products to prevent food contamination. Here are two of the key reasons why.

Avoiding Corrosion-Related Problems

Because avoiding corrosion is crucial to preventing food contamination, it’s essential to know what the common corrosion-related problems are:

• Pitting and Crevices: When liquid corrodes a surface, it can form a small aperture. Over time, more liquid lodges in, causing the aperture to deepen. Long, deep pits characterize pitting and crevice corrosion. Acidic and high-temperature applications increase the chances of pitting and crevice corrosion.
• Intergranular (Weld Decay): The welded portion of metal tends to be weaker than the rest. This weakness makes it the prime location for corrosion to set in.
• Stress Cracking: Repeated stress on a metal can lead to cracking, which compromises the metal and allows corrosion to set in.

Characteristics of Food-Grade Materials

Although not impervious to corrosion and damage, stainless steel can better withstand the problems listed above than other materials, including other types of steel. As we mentioned, the chemical composition of stainless steel alloys protects against corrosion and corrosive substances. The elements on the alloys react with the air to form a corrective barrier. Additionally, manufacturers polish stainless steel to remove imperfections in the surface that could lead to corrosion or harbor bacteria. As a result, stainless steel surfaces are also very easy to clean and maintain hygienic standards for food preparation and processing areas and equipment.

Different stainless steel alloys also have different characteristics that prevent damage that could compromise the metal. Certain alloys retain their strength after welding, and others react better to strengthening treatments, such as annealing, to prevent stress cracking. All of these features and characteristics contribute to making stainless steel products ideal for the food and beverage industry.

Contact our team at Alliant Metals to learn more about stainless steel products for multiple industries.