Stainless steel is a preferred material in the food industry because of the several advantages such as; It is not easily corroded, very strong and easy to clean. The commonly used stainless steel is the 304 grade of steel. Here’s an in-depth look at why the 304 grade of stainless steel is the preferred choice in the food industry:
Austenite, Cold Rolled Steel, Commercially Pure, Chromium, Nickel, Manganese, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Silicon, Sulfur, Phosphorus, Thickness, Coefficient of Thermal Expansion, Young’s Modulus, Thermal Conductivity, and Melting Point.
Depending on the composition 304 stainless steel falls under the austenitic steel category which is characterized by having 18-20% chromium and 8-10%. 5% nickel. This compilation offers the material full desirable characters that qualify it for use in numerous sectors in the food industry inclusive of;
Other characteristics of 304 stainless steel Depending on the application, there might be several variations of the type 304 steel.
- Corrosion Resistance
The major property that makes 304 stainless steel very important is its ability to resist corrosion. This is even more relevant to the food industry where parts of equipment and surfaces are often times in contact with water and other abrasive substances.
Chromium Content: Chromium content is ranging between 18 and 20% gives protective layer of chromium oxide, which helps to avoid further corrosion.
Nickel Content: Nickel improves the corrosion protection especially in cases where the food tends to be acidic or there are agents like detergents.
- Durability and Strength
304 stainless steel derived its reputation for tensile strength and durability, therefore it is ideal for usage in places where it is likely to be used for intensive work such as food processing industries.
Mechanical Properties: Tensile strength of the alloy is reasonably around 515MPa which is equivalent to 75 000psi and yield strength of 205MPa is equivalent to 30 000 psi and therefore equipment that is manufactured from 304 stainless steel can endure substantial stress and also wear.
- Hygienic Surface
304 stainless steel has a non- absorbing surface hence making it easy to clean and sterilize important in colleges where food is prepared.
Ease of Cleaning: The solid and nonabsorbent structure that characterizes smooth surfaces ensures that crumbs and bacteria cannot stick on the surfaces and, therefore, easy to wash.
Resistance to Contamination: The material’s lack of corroding and staining characteristic reduces the chances of food being contaminated hence making it safe.
- Thermal Conductivity
304 stainless steel has good thermal conductivity and hence when used in cooking it helps in the free flow of heat as well as when used for heat exchange equipment in the food industry.
Heat Resistance: It can handle heat up to 3200 degrees more in Fahrenheit that makes it very useful when it comes to cooking.
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Uniform Heating: Helps in distributing heat evenly which is very important in cooking and food processing activities.
- Formability and Weldability
304 stainless steel is also rather ductile and can easily be welded, thus providing for unusal forms and joints used in the food industry.
Formability: May be readily fabricated into various products including sheets, tubes, and plates and its mechanical characteristics are not affected.
Weldability: Can be welded according to every conventional method, which makes it muilty purpose when it comes to the construction of the food processing equipment and structures.
Use of Applications in the Food Industry
- Food Processing Equipment
304 stainless steel is highly employed in the making of processing tools like mixers, blenders, and conveyors that are used in the processing of food.
Mixers and Blenders: The training resistance ensures that they have a long life as they are made not to corrode making them easy to clean.
Conveyor Systems: To offer a smooth, clean, and long-lasting layer for carrying food items.
- Commercial Kitchens
In commercial facilities, 304 grade stainless steel is applied in preparation of kitchens, preparation utensils, and preparation appliances.
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Countertops and Sinks: This is because the surface is non-porous and corrosion resistant which is useful in areas where food is prepared.
Cooking Appliances: Because of its heat resisting and wearing ability it is used in the construction of ovens, grill and fryers.
- Storage Tanks and Containers
304 stainless steel is also applied in construction of storage tanks and containers for foods and beverages.
Beverage Storage: Food friendly material since it does not react with acidic content; making it suitable for storage of liquids such as milk, juice and wine.
Food Storage: For more significant portions of ingredients, they are stored in large receptacles in order not to contaminate other foods yet still be safe for consumption.
Advantages Over Other Materials
- Compared to Aluminum
However, the aluminum material is light weight and has good heat transfer property, but it’s worse in corrosion resistance and strength as compared to type 304 stainless steel. On the same note, aluminum creates a reaction with acidic foods by altering the taste and safety of the food.
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- Compared to Plastic
Used for light, inexpensive food packaging such as Transparent, crystal, black and transparent white receptacles, plastics contain affinity for taste, smell and color. These are not as strong and are easily damaged than 304 stainless steel.
- The processes of comparison made in this paper will involve determining how this particular grade of stainless steel compares with other types of stainless steels.
However other grades of stainless steel for instance the 316 has higher corrosion resistance but at a much higher cost. To barrel many food industry uses, the properties described cost-benefit of 304 stainless steel makes it most suitable.
Conclusion
While others are using other grades like 201, 202, and 316 of stainless steel in food industry the most preferred one is the 304 grade because it is very resistant to corrosion, durable, very hygienic, and flexible. This characteristic makes it durable under the conditions that are usually present in the food processing industries, easy to clean coupled with its non-porous surface hence it does not harbor bacteria in spite of being able to maintain the quality of the food that is being processed. In Food processing equipments, restaurants, and storage bins, 304 stainless steel proves to be a perfect solution and thus 304 stainless steel becomes a necessity in food processing industry.