The discovery of stainless steel early in the 20^th century was a milestone event for the food and drink processing industries. This wonderfully hygienic and durable alloy has become a favourite in domestic kitchens and for the very same reasons, it is the material of choice in industries as diverse as the processing of milk and dairy products, beer and wine making, confectionery, cooked meats and many, many more.

In this modern age, we take it as a reality that much of our food will be processed, sanitised and packaged under hygienic conditions before it arrives on our plate. Nevertheless, convenience foods will never completely destroy the art and satisfaction of preparing and cooking our own meals from fresh ingredients. Until fairly recently, stainless steel ovens, cooking utensils and tableware were regarded as an expensive luxury in the modern kitchen. Good design, mass production and competition have changed all of that so that the householder can enjoy all of the benefits and attributes of this remarkable family of materials.

Today, more than 30 % of all stainless steel produced goes into products related to the food and beverage sector. In this section of the library, there are publications which give guidance on grade selection as well as the importance of hygienic design and fabrication methods for food and beverage handling equipment.

The modern dairy industry requires the use of cleanable, corrosion-resistant stainless steel equipment to meet the needs of milk product consumers everywhere. The latest brochure in the Sustainable Stainless series explains the role of stainless steels in the dairy industry and how they contribute to a sustainable solution for the human diet.

The world of commercial food equipment has been particularly hit by the volatile nickel price and its effect on the price of nickel-containing stainless steels. The inevitable swing away from nickel-containing grades towards nickel-free ‘ferritic’ grades is well in motion and, happily, ferritics have proved the perfect technical and economic answer in many application fields.

The first water desalination plant in the UK, the Thames Gateway Water Treatment Works in East London, opens in 2010. It will treat water from the brackish waters of the River Thames, producing up to 140 million litres of clean, fresh, drinking water each day during times of drought or extended periods of low rainfall, or to maintain supplies in the event of an incident at other water treatment facilities. Within the plant, saline river water passes through lamella clarifiers to remove solid particles. The clarifiers are large, open tanks containing a coarse filter media that is supported by a grillage of 78 stainless steel I-beams.

One of the popular characteristics of nickel-containing stainless steel that has become the accepted material for kitchen sink construction during the past 40 years is the readiness with which its surface can be cleaned of soil and bacteria, of particular hygienic importance in food handling.

Stainless steel equipment has a long history of successful use in bioprocessing operations for which high-quality surface finishes, cleanliness, and maintenance of sanitary conditions are essential. The paper shows that stainless steels are widely available, corrosion resistant, economic, and easy to fabricate; they are uniquely qualified as construction materials for equipment and systems in the bioprocessing industries.

A summary of the resources available on-line via the Nickel Institute web portal “Hygienic Stainless”

The concentration of liquids is a process used in many industries -- food, beverage, chemical, pulp and paper, pharmaceutical, water and waste-water treatment. This AISI publication describes how and where stainless steels are used to assure long, trouble-free service in the evaporator/concentrator environments.

This Nickel Institute publication is presented in three sections: "For the welder," deals with the differences in welding techniques for nickel-containing stainless steels, versus conventional carbon steels; "For the materials engineer," describes various types of stainless steels and how their metallurgical and corrosion resistant characteristics are affected by welding and heat treating; and, "For the design engineer," which demonstrates how the corrosion performance of stainless steels can be enhanced by good design.

Filtration is part of our daily life … and stainless steel is the material of choice for filtration. In this animation you can find out how, why and where!

When Guyot Designs started making stainless steel water bottles in 2005, the Maine, U.S.A.-based company was promoting a greener alternative to plastic, one that would last longer and be recycled more easily. Little did they know that their bottles would soon be in hot demand for health and safety reasons.

Stainless steel is a standard material for the most demanding hygienic applications - in the home, in industry, in healthcare

This excerpt from the Book of New Applications 2009, gives more information in the area of food and beverage industry.

The following are included here:

·         Meat Processing Machinery

·         Modern Abattoir

·         Sugar Industry Machinery

·         Wine Tanks

·         Industrial Kitchen Hob

·         Metallic Scrubber

Paper originally delivered at the BSSA Conference 'Stainless Solutions for a Sustainable Future' held in Rotherham on 3rd April 2003. This paper discusses applications for stainless steels in beverage dairy and food, drinking water supply, medical devices and pharmaceutical industry applications.

Stainless steel products play an active role in improving the hygiene in restaurants, public kitchen, schools, local health centers etc. This is so, especially in emerging markets such as India, Mexico, China and the likes (Developing countries).

This excerpt from the ISSF Book of New Applications 2007, gives more information on food and beverage applications.

The following are included here:

·         Food service trolley

·         Kiosk

·         Train restaurant

·         Cooking stand

·         New kitchen concept

·         Mobile vending/cooking demonstration unit

A large, international, food manufacturing company encountered through-wall leaks in a Type 304 stainless steel hot water line after only two years of service. An upgrade to Mo-containing 6Mo stainless steel solved the problem. Nicole Kinsman, formerly of Technical Marketing Resources, consultants to IMOA, is the author. (61 Kb pdf)

Stainless steels are widely used in food and beverage manufacturing and processing industries for manufacture, bulk storage and transportation, preparation and presentation applications. Depending on the grade of stainless steel selected, they are suitable for most classes of food and beverage products.

10079 Effectiveness of Sanitation with Quaternary

10077 Stainless Steels for Bioprocessing

10069 Effect of Wiping and Spray Wash Temperature

10046 Cleanability in Relation to Bacterial

14039 Purity of Food Cooked in Stainless Steel Utensils

This paper discusses case histories from the food production industry, where the standard austenitic stainless steels have suffered chloride stress corrosion cracking. Stainless steels with higher molybdenum contents have been used successfully to solve these problems (a small charge is made).

This Euro Inox publication explains why stainless steel is the dominant material in the food industry for all types of processing equipment and gives helpful information on material selection, fabrication, surface finish, design principles and relevant European standards

This full colour 24 page brochure shows in pictorial form the role of stainless steel in the preparation of healthy and delicious foodstuffs which can be corrosive to other contact materials. It covers the processing of such foods as  Oranges, Chocolate, Beer, Tomatoes, Fish, Cheese, Ice cream and Wine. (Available while stocks last)

Austenitic stainless steels, usually S30400 and S31600 or their low-carbon counterparts, are easily cleaned and decontaminated by standard techniques. Cleaning techniques and procedures are described, not for fabrication damage or soiling, but for in-process requirements. Subjects such as heat tint and scale, tool marks and passivating treatments are treated separately.

The European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group (EHEDG) has produced a guideline that offers practical advice on the selection of hygienic materials and designs for food-processing equipment. This paper summarises the practical information contained in the guideline

Fire doors have to be able to withstand extremely high temperatures. The materials that are made from and the type of construction are of the utmost importance. Stainless steel, with a gleaming matt finish, or a ground patterned surface, can relieve the bulk and give a pleasant appearance.

In industrial, pharmaceutical and catering applications, drainage systems have to meet the toughest standards of safety and hygiene. And they have to be cost-effective. For these reasons stainless steel is generally the material of choice for floor gullies, drains and grating.