Food & Beverage Processing
Seal integrity where contamination means recall.
Food and beverage processing exposes seals to a constant cycle of aggressive CIP chemicals, high-temperature SIP steam, and product media that ranges from abrasive slurries to fermented cultures. A single non-compliant elastomer — or a compression-set seat seal on a butterfly valve — puts both product integrity and your FDA or 3-A certification at risk. The right seal choice is a materials decision as much as it is a geometry decision.
Our Products
ELASFOR Product Line — Food & Beverage Applications
| ELASFOR Product | Food & Beverage Application |
|---|---|
| Valve seats, pump secondary seals, static flanged connections, homogenizer body seals | |
70×70
|
Centrifugal pumps, rotary lobe pumps, agitator and mixer shaft seals |
70×70
|
V-packing stacks, spring-energized lip seals, stem packings, diaphragm faces, homogenizer valve seats |
70×70
|
Agitator shaft auxiliary quench seals; bottom-entry mixer shaft seals |
70×70
|
Reciprocating pump plunger packing (non-aseptic); agitator compression packing |
70×70
|
Sanitary tri-clamp and flanged pipeline joints; heat exchanger plate gaskets; CIP manifold connections |
70×70
|
Gearbox and drive unit sealing on mixers, agitators, conveyor drives — prevents lubricant migration into product area |
70×70
|
Actuated valve cylinders, filler piston actuators |
70×70
|
Custom diaphragm seals, door seals on processing enclosures, custom-profiled valve liners |
The primary differentiator for technical procurement in this sector is material certification documentation — customers gate POs on FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 compliance data sheets and 3-A statements of compliance. Available on request for all product lines.
Applications
Common Sealing Applications
Centrifugal Pumps — Product Transfer Lines
High-volume liquid transfer — juices, dairy, beer, sauces, CIP return lines. Single cartridge mechanical face seals are standard for clean liquids; double seals with barrier fluid are required for aseptic or allergen-sensitive lines.
EPDM secondary seals for aqueous and alkaline CIP. FKM where product contains fats or when peracetic acid is in CIP rotation. SiC/SiC face pairs in caustic CIP service.
FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 · 3-A Sanitary Standards · EHEDG
Rotary Lobe & Positive Displacement Pumps
Viscous and shear-sensitive products — yogurt, creams, doughs, chocolate, honey. PD pumps generate both positive and negative pressure at the seal chamber, requiring balanced external mechanical seals.
EPDM is the standard — Alfa Laval and INOXPA specify it as default. FKM for viscous fat-based formulations or peracetic acid CIP. Seal chamber geometry must be fully drainable to avoid dead zones.
FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 · 3-A Sanitary Standards · Ra ≤ 0.8 µm contact surfaces
High-Pressure Homogenizers
Used in dairy, emulsification of dressings and sauces, and beverage clarification. Reciprocating plungers at very high cyclic pressure demand packing materials with superior thermal and fatigue resistance over standard NBR.
HNBR for plunger packings — maintains tensile strength above 120°C where standard NBR degrades. PTFE for homogenizing valve seat faces (FDA 21 CFR 177.1550).
FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 · FDA 21 CFR 177.1550 (PTFE components)
Mixers & Agitators
Blending tanks for beverages, sauces, dairy cultures, fermentation vessels, and batch confectionery. Split cartridge mechanical seals allow in-place replacement without disassembling the impeller shaft — critical in scheduled production environments.
EPDM for aqueous and dairy blending. Silicone for flavor/aroma-sensitive products — odorless, -60°C to +200°C. FKM for oil-based or high-fat formulations.
FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 · 3-A Sanitary Standards · EHEDG (self-draining seal chamber)
CIP Systems & Hygienic Valves
CIP distribution headers, divert valves, tank outlet valves, filling machine manifolds, and aseptic isolators. Diaphragm valves on aseptic lines require PTFE/EPDM composite diaphragms to survive both caustic CIP and steam SIP cycles.
EPDM default for standard dairy and beverage CIP headers. Avoid NBR and neoprene on any CIP circuit — both degrade in caustic service and shed fragments into the product line.
FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 · NSF/ANSI 51 · 3-A Sanitary Standards
Compliance
Governing Standards
| Standard | Scope | What It Covers for Seals |
|---|---|---|
| FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 | Elastomeric articles for repeated food contact | Approved base elastomers (EPDM, NBR, silicone, PTFE); extractable limits in fatty and aqueous media; permitted vulcanization additives |
| FDA 21 CFR 177.1550 | Perfluorocarbon resins | PTFE in food contact applications |
| 3-A Sanitary Standards | Dairy, food, and beverage equipment design | Crevice-free geometry, non-absorptive materials, cleanability under CIP; gasket materials must resist caustic cleaners, hot water, repeated disassembly |
| NSF/ANSI 51 | Food equipment materials | Cleanliness, durability, nontoxicity for materials in commercial food equipment |
| NSF/ANSI 61 | Potable water contact | Extractables and heavy metals limits; applies to valves, gaskets, meters in water-contact circuits |
| EHEDG | European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group | Equipment design standards complementary to 3-A; referenced alongside 3-A for CE-export hygienic pumps and valves |
| USP Class VI | Pharmaceutical / aseptic extensions | Systemic toxicity, intracutaneous reactivity; required when food equipment overlaps with pharma or aseptic processing lines |
Practical note: FDA 21 CFR compliance is a material-level designation — not a part-level certification. Audit the full compound data sheet, not just the base polymer.
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