The demands of today’s global markets are rigorous. Ideally, machines and systems used in the food and beverage industry should adhere to all the different and often complex international specifications. However, the regulations for materials that come into contact with food differ considerably. The American, European, and Chinese standards set diverging priorities, for example, especially when it comes to migration tests and the selection of approved raw materials. In most cases, conventional materials for products such as seals do not meet all the regulations.

This makes it critical for manufacturers to have materials that ensure both the safety and quality of their products while also complying with the diverse standards around the world. It minimizes development and logistical expenses. They can distribute their machines and systems without having to use different materials for various markets.

Different regulations, uniform solutions

For companies in the global food and beverage industry, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies proposes innovative materials for items such as seals and support rings meet the strict legal requirements of the major markets in the United States, China, and Europe. The advantages for machine and system manufacturers are immense. Their products comply with the regulations of all markets, and they benefit from simplified logistics for maintenance and spare parts.

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies offers a new series of material solutions for elastomers and engineering plastics in the food and beverage industry satisfies the strict requirements of all three major markets ― the United States, Europe, and China. For the elastomer materials, these are the western regulations FDA §177.2600 and EC (VO) 1935/2004, as well as the Chinese standards GB 4806 and GB 9685. For plastics , EU (Regulation) 10/2011 applies instead of EC (Regulation) 1935/2004 as well as other dedicated paragraphs of the FDA regulation.

Elastomers for the food and beverage industry

The elastomer EPDM (ethylene propylene diene  rubber) is the most widely used material in the food industry. It is highly resistant to hot water, steam, acids and alkalis.

The elastomer materials from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies ― such as the specially developed compounds 70 EPDM 382, 75 EPDM 386, 85 EPDM 387 and 85 EPDM 389 ― offer exceptional properties in terms of aging and media resistance. In addition, they meet all the requirements of the food and beverage industry. Their properties and resistance can be compared with proven premium materials that are food-compliant, such as 70 EPDM 291.

Compliant silicone rubbers

VMQ silicone rubbers also excel as materials for the food and beverage industry, thanks to their broad temperature range and superior resistance properties. These materials function effectively from as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius up to plus 200 degrees Celsius. They are also highly resistant to weathering, aging and ozone.

The portfolio of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies includes two material variants that comply with all food regulations in the United States, China and Europe. The materials 70 VMQ 117055 and 60 VMQ 117117 fall below the particularly stringent limits set by the overall migration tests for the food and beverage industry in China.

Engineering plastics with a broad spectrum

When it comes to engineering plastics for the food industry, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies offers materials such as polyamides, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and polyethylene. Polyamide materials are distinguished by their high strength, rigidity and toughness. PTFE is valued particularly for its excellent chemical resistance, which makes it suitable for use in almost all media. In addition, the material offers a very low coefficient of friction and a wide range of thermal applications. Several of the company’s materials, such as PA12G 37599, PTFE V038, PTFE G223 and PE E083, meet the requirements of the three major markets, the United States, Europe and China.

A global partnership with many customer benefits

There is a wide range of production systems in the food and beverage industry. This also means that there is a diverse range of components used in these systems and the materials are selected specifically for the application. EPDM materials are available for O-rings and special parts. The silicones are available as O-rings, diaphragms and special parts. The plastics are suitable for support rings and turned seals with customer-specific shape.

With Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, manufacturers of food and beverage equipment gain multiple advantages:

• Global conformity: One material complies with the legal requirements in China, Europe and the United States.
• Innovation as a basis: Numerous tested premium materials.
• Variety and quality: A broad product portfolio.
• Flexible production: Freudenberg Xpress® service quickly and efficiently produces turned spare parts and small batches from both elastomers and engineering plastics.

With its food-compliant materials, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies also goes beyond mere compliance with global standards. Through its in-depth market knowledge and research and development, the company anticipates future challenges in the food and beverage industry at an early stage and offers innovative products. In many cases, this also leads to the development of novel solutions in close cooperation with machine and system manufacturers. Moreover, this takes a “hygienic design” into account, ensuring a seal without dead space across the construction and material. It promotes optimum rinsing and prevents the collection and build-up of product residues and microorganisms in undercuts, for example.

With trust and innovation

In a world of ever-changing requirements, the broad expertise and experience of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies enables manufacturers to focus on what they do best ― producing high-quality food and beverage machinery and equipment for global markets. They can ensure that their products meet global standards without compromising on performance or quality. This opens up new markets and opportunities, boosts consumer confidence and fosters sustainable growth.

About Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is a globally leading provider of sealing solutions and partner for OEMs and end customers in various industries, including food and beverages, automotive, aerospace and many others. With a history built on innovation and customer focus, it sets standards for quality, performance and sustainability.

Food & Beverage Processing Engineering FDA Seals (fst.com)