In the food sector, the choice of materials represents a crucial aspect to ensure safety, hygiene and durability over time. Stainless steel is one of the most widely used to make equipment, work surfaces, and trolleys for food production, processing, and preservation. This material is in fact distinguished by a unique combination of physical, chemical and mechanical properties that make it particularly suitable in environments where hygiene and food safety are essential.
But what makes food-grade stainless steel the preferred solution for food industries, pastry shops, butchers, and dairies? Let's take a look at the technical features, operational benefits, and regulatory framework for using this food-contact material, along with all the helpful tips for choosing the right equipment for your business.
Stainless steel, commonly called stainless steel, is a ferrous alloy containing at least 10.5% chromium, which gives the material its characteristic corrosion resistance. This fundamental property makes it particularly suitable for food use. The presence of chromium creates an invisible protective layer on the metal surface called a "passive film" that continuously self-regenerates in the presence of oxygen. This self-healing mechanism ensures constant and reliable protection against corrosive agents, moisture and organic substances typically found in food environments.
Unlike other materials that can progressively deteriorate, stainless steel maintains its properties intact for decades, thus representing a long-term investment in any food business. The versatility of stainless steel for food also comes from the possibility of modulating the alloy composition by adding other elements (such as nickel, molybdenum, titanium or manganese), thus obtaining materials with specific characteristics suitable for different applications. This compositional flexibility allows the most appropriate steel type to be selected based on specific operational needs, always ensuring the highest level of performance and safety.
As we have seen, the main feature that distinguishes stainless steel for food is its exceptional resistance to corrosion. This aspect is fundamental in food environments, where frequent contact with water, harsh detergents, disinfectants, natural food acids and atmospheric agents would put a strain on less resistant materials. The ability to resist corrosion isn't just a matter of aesthetics: it means preventing food contamination with metal particles, avoiding rust that could harbor bacteria, and ensuring that surfaces remain perfectly smooth and intact over time. Food grade stainless steel is also distinguished by:
Not all stainless steels are created equal and not all are suitable for food use. There are several alloys, each with specific characteristics and differentiated performance. The most common types of food-grade stainless steel in the industry have different chemical compositions that determine specific mechanical properties and corrosion resistance for each application:
AISI 304 stainless steel (18/10) is the best stainless steel for general purpose food and is the most popular choice in the professional food industry. It contains approximately 18% chromium and 10% nickel, offering an excellent balance between corrosion resistance, ease of processing, mechanical characteristics and cost-effectiveness. It is the most common and reliable choice for service trolleys, work surfaces, containers, shelving and all those applications where direct contact with food is required under standard operating conditions. This type of steel maintains its properties over a wide thermal range, from refrigeration to temperatures of around 800°C, making it versatile for a variety of applications.
AISI 316 (18/10 with molybdenum) is instead enriched with the addition of 2-3% molybdenum which significantly increases corrosion resistance, especially in the presence of chlorides, saline atmospheres and particularly aggressive operating conditions. It is the ideal choice for food industries that process salty products (such as preserves, brines, fish products), acidic foods (such as fruit juices, tomato puree, vinegars), or for applications in coastal areas where brackish air could accelerate corrosive phenomena.
Regulatory compliance is an absolutely fundamental aspect when it comes to materials intended for contact with food. Food grade stainless steel must comply with stringent technical requirements at European and national level, ensuring maximum safety for consumers and full traceability of the materials used.
Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 lays down general requirements for all materials and articles intended for contact with food, forming the basic legislative basis for the whole sector. This regulation explicitly provides that materials and articles intended to come into contact with food must not:
The Regulation also lays down the requirement for a comprehensive traceability system, a declaration of conformity and the availability of appropriate technical documentation demonstrating compliance with the requirements. For food-grade stainless steel, this means that manufacturers must be able to provide certificates of the materials used and all documentation attesting to compliance with current regulations.
Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006 specifically regulates Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for materials in contact with food, ensuring that production takes place according to high, controlled and documented quality standards at every stage of the process. The regulation applies to all operators in the production chain, from producers of raw materials to manufacturers of finished objects intended for contact with food.
GMPs require the implementation of a quality system that ensures that materials and articles are produced in consistent compliance with applicable regulations and appropriate quality standards. This includes documented raw material management, production process control, staff training, complete batch traceability, and the implementation of effective quality control procedures. For companies that produce food-grade stainless steel equipment, compliance with GMPs represents an internationally recognized guarantee of reliability and professionalism.
IFT specializes in the manufacture of equipment for the food industry and offers a full range of trolleys but also, shelving, tables and other food handling and storage equipment, all made of certified high-quality food stainless steel. All products are designed to ensure maximum hygiene and safety for food laboratories and food companies.
IFT stainless steel trolleys, in particular, are specifically designed to meet the daily needs of the food industry in all its forms, from small dairies and cured meats to large-scale industrial production. All models are made with the best stainless steel for food (AISI 304 or AISI 316 as needed) to ensure long service life, ease of cleaning, corrosion resistance even in humid or aggressive environments, and full compliance with all current national and European regulations regarding materials in contact with food.
IFT stainless steel equipment is also distinguished by:
If you need more information about our stainless steel equipment or further advice to choose the products that best suit your needs, contact us!
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