Trelleborg Sealing Solutions launched a new elastomer sealing material, FoodPro E75F1. Demonstrating compliance with most comprehensive global food contact material regulations, it is specifically engineered for universal use in food and beverage processing applications.
For manufacturers of food and beverage equipment, FoodPro E75F1 saves time and costs by making it easy to specify materials that work in their products globally. Alongside wide-ranging compliance, the material maximizes the usability of Ethylene Propylene Diene Rubber (EPDM) for a full range of processing equipment, providing compatibility with virtually all food products and cleaning regimes.
According to Mikkel Moerup, Global Segment Director Food & Beverage at Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, “What makes FoodPro E75F1 so unique is its versatility. To best support our customers, it was important for us to develop a material for use in all types of food and beverage processing equipment.
“Processing equipment manufacturers can look to FoodProTM E75F1 to meet their customers’ needs because of its suitability for the widest range of applications. They no longer need to specify sealing materials for each piece of equipment dependent on geographical use, process media, and cleaning regimes. This saves significant time, reduces complexity, and simplifies manufacturing processes.
“In addition to standard O-Rings and gaskets, the compound can be shaped into any design imaginable to fit our customers’ needs. By combining FoodPro E75F1 with other rubber, plastic, and metal materials, creation of multicomponent products is possible. Uniting several parts into a single component, eliminates potential dead space where bacteria can grow, strengthening hygienic designs and substantially enhancing cleanliness, as well as offering more robust solutions.”
Aiming to ensure the material’s broadest possible use in the food and beverage industry, rigorous testing was undertaken, including tests to prove the material’s compatibility with process and cleaning media according to DIN ISO 1817. This involved testing materials in numerous media, including sodium hydroxide 2%, steam, alkaline and acidic cleaners, at elevated temperatures for 168 hours. FoodPro E75F1 demonstrated good or very good performance with all cleaning agents tested, retaining hardness and tensile strength, while exhibiting little volume change.
FoodPro E75F1 is a 70 shore EPDM universal sealing material for static and semi-dynamic food applications, such as separators, decanters, valves, pipe couplings and heat exchangers, in any type of seal design, from standard O-Rings and gaskets to multicomponent parts.
The material is compression and injection moldable into complex geometries and withstands surface imperfections in applications. It is specifically developed for use in high-temperature dairy processing, including infant formula.
Able to withstand the harsh chemicals of CIP and SIP cleaning regimes, FoodProTM E75F1 is characterized by high chemical resistance, demonstrating long life in polar media and excellent compatibility with alkaline cleaning agents.
Most importantly, the material complies with all major global food contact regulations, including US FDA CFR 21; Reg. (EC) 1935/2004; Chinese GB 4806.1-2016, GB 4806.11-2016, GB 9685-2016; and 3-A Sanitary Standards. In addition, compounding and manufacturing of FoodProTM E75F1 is according to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions
www.trelleborg.com/seals
