We often use plastics and elastomers in our everyday life. But have you thought about its downsides? Plastics and elastomers don’t decompose. They can also create health issues for humans, animals, or any living creatures. Therefore, considering these health issues, food grade hoses have come into this world. These hoses are designed so that they are entirely safe for living creatures.
Concerning these issues, various industries require different types of food grade hoses. They are primarily prevalent in food transfer applications. The purpose of this article is to highlight the fundamentals of a food grade hose in brief. We will also talk about the food grade certifications & regulations. Ultimately, we will also learn to choose the right product for our projects.
What is Food Grade Hose?
You may already know its definition. To make it clear, let’s recheck it. A food grade hose is specially designed to handle food, beverage, and pharmaceutical products. These food grade hoses aim to transport food & drinks without causing contamination. In addition, it ensures the safety & sanitary transfer of consumable materials during production. The processing and distribution of food grade hoses pass through regulatory standards. These standards and certifications provide the purity & quality of the products they transport.
Please focus on this part. If a hose is not food grade, what might happen? First, non-grade hoses are likelier to leach chemicals, plasticizers, or other substances. These contaminations alter the food quality and give you safety risks. How? If you consume these contaminated foods, you may face various health issues. Therefore, considering the importance of food grade hose is crucial. Other problems include bacterial growth, odor & flavor absorptions, and loss of product quality.
Benefits of Using Food grade hose
According to safety regulations, using food grade hoses in food & beverage industries is compulsory. Concerning food safety, food grade hoses are specially designed. However, food grade hoses also provide other benefits. Let’s find out more.
First, food grade hose maintains hygiene. It means that these hoses are easy to clean and sanitize. It ultimately minimizes the risk of bacterial growth. What else? The smooth, non-porous surfaces of these hoses prevent the accumulation of residue.
Second, Food grade hoses are resistant to absorbing food odors & flavors. It ensures that the taste & quality of the food remains uncompromised during transport. Since food grade hoses go through various compliance with regulations, they provide reliability.
Materials Used For Food Grade Hose Manufacturing
You may wonder about the material used in food grade hose manufacturing from the above discussion. Is it different from a typical plastic or rubber hose? The answer is no. Food grade hoses are also made from familiar materials like thermoplastic, rubber, metal, and polyester. In this case, thermoplastic might include polyurethane, PVC and PTFE. On the other hand, rubber hoses may have NBR & EPDM. However, stainless steel is used for metallic food grade hoses.
Properties of Food Grade Hoses
You may already find that Rentone Hose is one of the most popular food grade hose manufacturers worldwide. What makes them so unique? Consider the product’s quality, customer reliability & product’s durability. Among all other hoses, food grade hoses are also noteworthy. The properties & benefits you can get from these hoses are described below.
（1） Non-toxic
Non-toxic is the paramount quality of any food grade hose. It means the hose won’t leach harmful substances into the food or drinks it is transporting.
（2） Non-metal Construction
Food grade hoses are typically non-metallic. Metal can rust and impact favors. Therefore, non-metal construction ensures the hose doesn’t mix undesirable elements into your product.
（3） Flexible & Kink Resistance
Food grade hoses typically remain pliable & kink resistant. It makes them easy to handle during production or packaging.
（4） Abrasion Resistance
Things can get rough in industrial settings. A food grade hose must ensure proper abrasion resistance in this case. It’s built to last.
（5） Temperature Resistant
Whether you’re dealing with hot or cold products, these hoses are specially designed to handle it. It won’t break a sweat. However, it can also deal with extreme temperatures.
（6）Odour Resistant
Food grade hoses always ensure that it doesn’t change the original odor of food. As a result, it provides the integrity of your product.
（7） Durability
We know that you want your investment to last. As a result, rentone hoses come with high-quality designs. They also specialize in choosing the best quality of the manufacturing materials. So, these hoses last long and ensure prolonged durability.
Wide Applications
Food grade hoses find wide applications in various industries. Food processing is the most popular place for application. Like transporting food & drinks from one container to another container is noteworthy. Many applications also use food-grade hoses to fill bottles, jars, and containers. Food-grade hoses in dairy firms are crucial in producing milk, cheese, and yogurt.
Other than food processing, food grade hoses are also prevalent in brewing & winemaking industries. In addition, food grade water hose transports purified water to the consumers in water treatment facilities. Moreover, in the medical sector, these hoses transfer pharmaceutical ingredients. It ensures sterility & patient safety. Besides, in the pharmaceutical industry, we may have similar applications too.
Food Grade Certifications & Regulations
To ensure food safety, every manufacturer follows proper certifications and regulations. It’s also about gaining customer’s trust. It’s an international standard that every food grade hose manufacturer must follow. The purpose of these certifications is to ensure the safe handling of food & beverages.
ISO 22000, EC 1935/2004, and FDA 21 CFR177.2600 are mostly followed in food grade hose manufacturing. ISO 22000 is a global standard for food safety management systems. The European Commission (EC) Regulation 1935/2002 sets the requirements for materials. It also describes the contents intended to come into contact with food. In addition, the FDA or Food and Drug Administration also regulates materials that come into contact with food.
Some Popular & Reliable Food Grade Hose
This section would be helpful if we are looking for suitable food grade hoses for your projects. The manufacturer of the following two hoses is Rentone Hose. The company has over ten years of experience. They ensure reliable products with excellent quality. They provide proper regulations on food safety and quality.
As the name implies, these food grade hoses can be used in both food suction & discharge. The structural reinforcement includes high-strength synthetic polyester with a dual wire helix. The wrapped finished slick ensures perfect abrasion & weather resistance.
These hoses are only suitable for food discharging applications. The reinforcement of this hose includes layers of high-strength polyester cord with dual helix wire.
How to Choose the Right Food Grade Hose
Here comes the critical step. There are thousands of qualities available in the hose-selling markets. But how do you find an appropriate product for your project? Why is it so necessary? Choosing a suitable food-grade hose is critical to maintaining food safety.
First, we should prioritize safety. We must ensure the hose meets industry-specific standards like ISO and FDA compliance. Next, select hoses from food-grade materials that won’t leach harmful substances into your products. Finally, of course, we must consider the budget. While quality is crucial, manage costs by balancing your budget and safety constraints. In this case, we must prioritize long-term value over initial expenses.
Frequently Asked Question
What is a food grade hose?
We can understand any hose that obeys food grade standards is called food grade hose. It can be made of a wide range of materials. However, according to ISO 22000, it must be safe for transporting foods & beverages.
What makes a hose food grade?
You can call a hose food grade if it meets strict regulatory standards. In the previous, we discussed three popular food safety standards. These are ISO 22000, EC 1935/2004, and FDA 21 CFR177.2600.
Are Garden Hoses Safe to Drink Water??
No, it’s not typically safe for drinking water. It is because garden hoses are not designed to meet the strict standards for food grade materials. They may contain contaminants and leach harmful chemicals. Sometimes, you may find a food grade garden hose that might be safe for drinking water. We often make this mistake. But unknowingly, we are harming our bodies.
Final Thought
Let’s wrap everything up! The use of food grade hoses is not just a choice. It’s a required item for the food & beverage industry. Please note that the consequences of using inappropriate hoses can be severe. Starting from contamination may create various health issues. Therefore, prioritize safety & quality by investing in hoses that meet strict standards & regulations.
Throughout the article, we learned the fundamentals of a food grade hose. This article will be helpful when choosing the right product for your project. Still, if you have any questions, please get in touch with our customer support team. Our team of experts can help you with valuable responses.