Valves for food and beverage plants: sanitary versus industrial
A food plant has two distinct valve families: sanitary valves for the product and industrial valves for the utilities. Mixing them up is a mistake, but so is paying sanitary prices for steam and service water lines.
TAZ Engineering Team · · 5 min
Product lines
Milk, juice, beer and other products need sanitary stainless steel valves with smooth surfaces, no dead legs and quick-release connections for cleaning. They are a separate product category with their own standards.
Steam and boiler house
Pasteurising, sterilising and cooking all run on steam. Steam lines use steel globe valves, gate valves and ball valves, plus steam traps.
Water and cooling
Water treatment, cooling, chilled water and drainage use industrial gate valves, butterfly valves and check valves. Potable water that goes into the product needs hygienically approved materials.
What TAZ supplies
Industrial valves for steam, water and utilities at food plants. Source sanitary product valves from specialist manufacturers.
Checklist
- product or utility service
- steam pressure and temperature
- potable or service water
- materials
- hygiene approval
- documents