The food industry is one of the most demanding in the world’s entire infrastructure. Not only do professionals in this field need to produce enough product to meet the demand of the population, but they also have strict safety standards to abide by. As such, it’s vital that those working in food processing and production know how to best stay within legal guidelines and create the best possible products for consumers. Fortunately, they have food-grade belting materials to keep them on the right track.
From durable urethane to classic PVC, there are several materials that make the ideal food-grade conveyors. But, along with recognizing these resources, it’s also important that you understand the exact features that make them so desirable in this industry. Read on to learn about some important features of food-grade belting and how these characteristics improve the quality of your processes.
Durable Structure and Design
One of the first ways that food-grade belting benefits the industry is in its fundamental design and structure. Often constructed with a stainless-steel base and flexible urethane or PVC coating, these belts, at their core, are perfect for food handling. All these materials generate the right amount of friction between their surface and the product resting on it. This not only keeps the item securely in place on the conveyor, but also reduces the likelihood of spillage during transport. This design also makes these belts very flexible, allowing them to bounce back from even heavier impacts from large quantities of food. As such, they won’t sustain as many dents and they’re likely to last much longer.
Resistance To Abrasion and Wear
Food-grade belting items are also incredibly resistant to surface abrasion and general wear. Because they’re so durable, they’re less likely to suffer small cuts that can result in larger instances of damage. Both PVC and urethane rate highly for their amount of tensile strength. This means that they can pull and stretch very far before experiencing breakage of any sort. They certainly rank higher in this trait than traditional rubber or even metal belting. So, it’s a great asset to an industry that needs dependability from its equipment.
Heat and Cold Protection
Food-grade conveyors are very resistant to extreme temperature changes as well. Whether it be washing and prepping produce or freezing prepared meals for shipping, these conveyors need to withstand all conditions. Despite the heat or cold, it’s imperative that they can maintain their flexibility and abrasion resistance. Otherwise, they risk premature corrosion and tearing. Rubber doesn’t have this characteristic and often freezes and cracks or melts when exposed to extreme temperatures. As such, utilizing belts with this feature can ensure that all food handling processes can happen in a timely and effective manner.
Chemical Resistance
Another important feature of food-grade belting is its ability to withstand direct chemical exposure. The food handling and production processes often utilize a series of chemicals to facilitate more effective cleaning and sterilization. Some foods like tomatoes even produce their own acids which can cover your conveyors. However, while these substances might not harm the food, they can cause your traditional rubber belting to deteriorate faster than you’d expect. This can lead to excess spending on replacements and hurt your facility’s overall efficiency. But proper food-grade belting like urethane and PVC both have strong resistances against corrosive materials, making them ideal for maintaining effective processing practices.
Chemical Transferring Prevention
In addition to resisting corrosion from exposure to chemical compounds, food-grade belting doesn’t leech its own toxins into food either. While a lot of polymers contain toxic substances that can transfer to food during contact, urethane and PVC actively prevent this. Because their outer coatings are so resilient and resistant to breakdown, there’s no way for them to release these chemicals until much later into their lifecycle. This keeps your products cleaner and safer for your customers to eventually consume.
Moisture-Blocking Characteristics
It’s vital that your food-grade conveyor belting can block out moisture to some degree too. Moisture is commonplace in an environment working with food. From steam washing vegetables to mixing stocks into soups, moisture is an unavoidable condition in these settings. Fortunately, many belting materials can effectively block out excess water particles and reduce your chances of developing rust or corrosion. Since they’re comprised of polymers rather than metal, they’re unaffected by high amounts of moisture in the air and will maintain their structural integrity.
Cleanable and Antibacterial
For a material to truly classify itself as food-grade, however, it’s crucial that it responds well to the cleaning and sterilization processes. This is the number one criterion for FDA approval and the sole means behind regulated health and safety standards. After all, food can breed and transfer any number of illnesses and bacteria, making customers sick and putting your business at risk. So, for the sake of public health, it’s essential that you use belting that inhibits the spread of these organisms. This feature also makes substances like urethane and PVC are also incredibly easy to clean, saving you time during standard maintenance procedures.
High Longevity
Above all though, food-grade belting materials boast incredibly long lifespans when compared to other types of belting. Because of the previously listed resistances, these materials degrade much slower than rubber and metal. As such, you not only get more runtime out of them, but they also help you save money and manpower on essential repairs. This can be incredibly effective at improving the efficiency of your facilities and providing your business with the resources to expand in other areas.
We at Texas Belting and Supply understand that the food industry can’t afford to slow down. So, when you’re in need of new food-grade conveyor belts for your facilities, give us a call. We collect thousands of different belting products from some of the highest-quality manufacturers including Gates, Diesel Belting, and Jason Industrial, just to name a few. We also have a diverse range of items in stock and ensure we always have a plethora of sizes available for purchase. This way, you’ll never feel like you don’t have options, even if your specifications are unique.
