High hygiene areas, food industry equipment.

Equipment designed for the production of food products with complex configurations of components and assemblies poses an increased hygiene risk.

Due to its complex configuration, this equipment, depending on the product being manufactured, is located in special rooms where a specific regime is maintained - air pressure, humidity, temperature and air purity.

The surfaces of equipment in areas with high hygiene standards are designed to be easy to maintain, using antistatic, durable and easy-to-clean materials. Stainless steel and various coated materials are most commonly used, for example.

European legislation sets out various requirements that must be taken into account, such as hygiene and design requirements or requirements for materials, line layout or equipment in a production facility. Machines and mechanisms must be designed in such a way that dirt, dust and food ingredient residues do not accumulate on them, so that they are easy to clean.

When selecting materials for the manufacture of food equipment, not only hygiene and cleanability are taken into account, but also wear resistance.

Machines and equipment used in the production of food for humans and animals must comply with hygiene requirements to ensure food safety. Often, the most important aspect of design is how to implement hygiene and safety requirements using various design or protective technological solutions. Sometimes compromises have to be made between different solutions, but they must not compromise hygiene.

The design stage takes into account the cleanability requirements for machines, equipment and pipelines and, depending on the facility, also for disinfection. This is achieved when surfaces are smooth, in good condition, without cracks, sharp corners, dead ends, and are continuous or sealed. When designing a space, it is necessary to take into account the availability of sufficient space for maintenance and cleaning of the machine or equipment.

The most commonly used construction material in the food industry is stainless steel due to its properties, and the corrosion resistance of this material is based on the chromium it contains. The surface of stainless steel is protected by an oxide layer formed by the reaction of chromium and oxygen.