Food & Beverage
Cleanliness, hygiene, conformity and durability – the process industry poses a variety of challenges to seals. They must have a high degree of purity and comply with hygienic design standards. At the same time, the requirements of industry- and country-specific standards, such as USP Class VI, NSF, FDA and GB, apply. However, conformity with the standards mentioned does not suffice. The sealing materials must also withstand aggressive media such as CIP/SIP cleaning agents, greases, aromas or chemicals and extreme temperatures. AST Sealing Solutions has accepted this challenge and developed sealing solutions tailored to the requirements of the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
The challenges for seals in the food and beverage industry are manifold. A multitude of different applications place different demands on the choice of the right sealing solution.
Especially in the filling of beverages, the avoidance of aroma transfer plays an important role. In addition, the sealing materials must withstand aggressive cleaning media.
In order to guarantee the safe consumption of food, the product’s design and material composition must comply with legal requirements, such as the European EU (VO) 1935/2004, the American FDA §177.2600 or the Chinese GB 4806 and GB 9685. At the same time, they must meet the Hygienic Design Standards of the EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group), i.e. they must seal free of dead space and thus prevent contamination.
