Flexible hoses for food transport: which one to choose?

Which hose to choose for food products?

When we talk about Food & Beverage industry, food safety is at the top of the list of priorities. To work safely it is necessary to use materials that do not contaminate food.
Pipes intended for the food industry come into contact with food products and semi-finished products, for this reason the pipe materials must not contain substances that can migrate into the food.

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Avoid contamination

The material the tube is made of can release harmful components into the food during use. This can lead to:

• Risks to health
• Changes to food composition
• Altered odor, taste, color, etc.

To avoid this, food grade hoses must comply with Regulation (EC) 1935/2004. This is the European regulation that regulates materials and objects, including plastic, rubber and silicone, intended to come into contact with food.

Before using the tube, we ALWAYS recommend washing or sanitizing it, following the manufacturer's instructions or contacting our technicians.

Which material to choose for your food transport hose?

In food applications, the hoses used are generally made of rubber, silicone, PVC, PTFE, polyurethane, etc. However, not all materials are suitable for contact with all types of food.

Rubber hoses

Rubber hoses have a higher temperature range than PVC or Polyurethane hoses. They can withstand an operating temperature from -30°C to 150°C depending on the hose chosen. Particularly suitable for the passage of all liquid and powdered foods.

Silicone tubes

Silicone tubing is particularly flexible and can withstand high temperatures compared to other materials. It is USP Class VI certified and suitable for use in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

PVC Pipes

PVC pipes are suitable for many applications where operating pressure and temperature are limited, such as drinking water, soft drinks and various raw materials. Most PVC pipes have a temperature range of -20 ° C to + 60 ° C. An advantage of PVC pipes is that they are transparent, lightweight and generally very flexible. However, because its strength is limited, PVC is not suitable for use with fatty foods.

PTFE Tubes

PTFE tubing is ideal for high temperature and pressure applications. It has a temperature range of approximately -70°C to +260°C, has excellent chemical resistance and is easy to clean.

Polyurethane pipes

Hoses used for transporting dry and abrasive foods are often made of polyurethane. Polyurethane is resistant to fatty foods and has a temperature range of -40 ° C to + 90 ° C. These hoses are also ideal for powdered milk, spices and other dry ingredients.

Why choose a Universalflex hose?

Our FDA and MOCA certified flexible hose assemblies ensure perfect hygiene and are suitable for all industrial processes related to the food, pharmaceutical and chemical sectors.

The connection system adopted by Universalflex prevents, thanks to the use of connections with a special designed profile, the stagnation of the product and consequently the proliferation of bacteria. The elastomers (phthalate-free) and the characteristics used in the pipe mixes respond, in fact, to the most severe standards in terms of food safety.

Contact us for more information.