Stainless Steel Tubing for Food and Beverage Processing: What You Need to Know

In the food and beverage processing industry, hygiene, safety, and durability have always been the core criteria for equipment selection. Stainless steel pipes, with their excellent corrosion resistance, cleanability, and mechanical strength, have become the preferred material for transporting liquids, steam, and gases in food and beverage factories. This article will comprehensively analyze stainless steel pipes for food and beverage processing from multiple perspectives to help you gain a better understanding.

Why Are Stainless Steel Pipes Suitable for the Food and Beverage Industry?

1. Superior Corrosion Resistance

Food processing often involves acids, alkalis, salts, and high-humidity environments, which place high demands on the corrosion resistance of materials. The chromium element in stainless steel can form a dense chromium oxide protective film on the surface, effectively resisting oxidation and corrosion. Especially high-grade stainless steels like 316L exhibit excellent stability when handling acidic liquids such as dairy products, fruit juices, and alcoholic beverages.

2. Good Hygienic Performance and Cleanability

Food processing equipment must be regularly cleaned and disinfected. Stainless steel has a smooth, non-porous surface that is easy to clean and less likely to harbor dirt. It can withstand high-temperature and high-pressure treatments from CIP (Clean-in-Place) and SIP (Sterilize-in-Place) systems, meeting international hygiene standards such as HACCP and FDA.

3. High Strength and Long Service Life

Compared with other materials, stainless steel pipes have higher mechanical strength, enabling them to withstand frequent mechanical impacts and temperature changes. They are suitable for high-intensity, continuous-operation food processing production lines, effectively extending equipment service life and reducing maintenance costs.

Common Food-Grade Stainless Steel Pipe Grades

Stainless steel pipes commonly used in the food industry mainly include the following grades:

Among them, 316L is widely regarded as the gold standard in the food industry, especially suitable for environments with higher hygiene requirements or containing chloride ions.

Surface Treatment and Connection Methods of Stainless Steel Pipes

1. Surface Treatment Grades

Food-grade stainless steel pipes are often polished, with a surface roughness (Ra) typically required to be less than 0.8μm. The following are several common surface treatment methods:

• Internal and external mirror polishing (EP): Used in occasions with extremely high hygiene requirements, such as pharmaceutical or high-end beverage processing.
• Mechanical polishing (MP): Common in conventional food liquid transportation systems.
• Pickling and passivation treatment: Removes welding slag and oxide layers to enhance corrosion resistance.

2. Connection Methods

According to different system requirements, stainless steel pipes can adopt the following connection methods:

• Clamp connection: Allows quick disassembly and assembly, often used in systems that require frequent cleaning.
• Welded connection: Has good sealing performance, suitable for pressure pipelines.
• Threaded connection: Easy to install, but applicable to low-pressure or non-critical parts.

Standard Certifications Complying with Food Safety Regulations

To ensure the safe use of stainless steel pipes in the food industry, multiple international standards and regulations specify clear requirements for their performance:

• ASTM A270: An American standard that specifies requirements for the manufacturing and surface quality of sanitary stainless steel pipes.
• EN 10357: A European standard for food-grade stainless steel pipes, detailing requirements for dimensions, surface roughness, and testing.
• 3-A Sanitary Standards: Hygienic standards for the U.S. dairy industry, covering pipes and their fittings.
• FDA Certification: Required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure the safety of materials in direct contact with food.

Choosing stainless steel pipes with the above certifications is a key step in ensuring that equipment complies with global market regulations.

Typical Application Scenarios

Stainless steel pipes are widely used in the food and beverage industry, covering all links from raw material transportation to product packaging, including:

• Pasteurization pipelines and milk conveying lines in dairy factories
• Fermentation tank connecting pipes and cooling systems in breweries
• High-corrosion transportation systems for condiments such as soy sauce and vinegar
• Aseptic conveying systems for pure water, fruit juices, and carbonated beverages
• Refrigerant pipelines and cleaning circuits in refrigeration and cleaning equipment

Conclusion: How to Choose the Right Stainless Steel Pipes

When selecting food-grade stainless steel pipes, it is recommended to consider the following aspects comprehensively:

1. Select the appropriate steel grade based on the acidity/alkalinity and temperature of the conveyed medium (e.g., 316L is more corrosion-resistant)
2. Choose the appropriate surface treatment grade according to the need for CIP/SIP systems
3. Ensure the product complies with international standards such as ASTM A270 and EN 10357
4. Prioritize manufacturers and products with 3-A, FDA, and ISO certifications

Choosing high-quality stainless steel pipes not only improves the safety of the food processing process but also significantly reduces maintenance costs and improves production efficiency. For specific project-based recommendations on stainless steel pipe selection, please feel free to contact us for one-on-one technical support and selection guidelines.