Copely has a wide range of food grade hoses, able to cater to a number of applications. But what is a food grade hose? What properties set them apart from standard hoses? What applications are they used for? The following guide has been written with the most common questions regarding food grade hoses in mind.
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A food grade hose (or food grade tube) is used in the transfer and conveyance of food products, such as seeds, granules, beer and water. They are used in a wide variety of applications in order to prevent contamination of the product.
In order to be approved for use, food quality hoses must meet a number of standards. One of the most common is that they must be FDA-approved. The FDA sets a standard that the materials incorporated into the hose (e.g. plasticisers) must meet.
Another common standard is that the materials must be EN No 10/ compliant for food contact applications. Similar to this, food safe water hoses must also be NSF51 + NSF61 approved for the transfer of drinking water.
Our food grade hoses are marked with a food quality logo, in both our product guide and on our website, making your search easier. Keep an eye out for this logo when looking for a food grade hose in our range.
PVC can be food safe. However, it must meet a number of standards in order to be deemed so. Standard PVC can contain things such as phthalates (a synthetic chemical used in hose manufacturing) which can leach from the hose and into the product it is conveying.
PVC is one of the most common types of materials used for the manufacture of food grade hoses. PVC tends to be tasteless and odourless, which makes it ideal, unlike other hose materials which can transfer smells or tastes to the product.
The design of food grade hoses can vary, depending on the application. However, a majority of food safe hoses and tubes share similar properties:
Food grade hoses are versatile and can be used for a wide variety of applications. Our own food grade hoses are ideal for the applications below:
Caravan/marine applications &#; Food grade hoses can be used in caravans or boats to fill onboard water tanks. They can also be used to collect drinking water from an on-site tap. Aquavend Reinforced PVC is a food grade hose for caravan sites, motorhomes, and boats. It is made from odourless and taint-free specialist materials, making it ideal for these kinds of applications, unlike standard PVC hoses which can taint the drinking water.
Animal farming applications &#; Hoses that are food safe can also be used for the distribution of seeds, grain and other food materials to livestock. The Food Grade Delivery Hose in our suction and discharge range is ideal for this type of application. Whilst tough and flexible, it is also able to withstand colder working conditions (down to -40oC) without losing its flexibility, making it suitable for outdoor use as well as indoor.
Are garden hoses safe for drinking water? This is a common question, and the answer is that generally unless otherwise stated, garden hoses are not deemed safe for drinking water.
Garden hoses can still hold onto water, even after use. If the garden hose is also left out in the sun, the warmth can cause a build-up of bacteria inside the hose.
Depending on the manufacturer, cheaper PVC garden hoses can also contain lead, which can cause health issues, even with low doses. Cheaper garden hoses can also contain phthalates, which can be transferred to the plant life, lawn, or crops being grown in the garden.
When selecting a garden hose, it&#;s important to make sure it is phthalate-free or DEPH-free, so nothing harmful can be transferred from the hose to the garden.
We offer a wide range of food grade hoses for a number of industries and applications, making it easier than ever to find the right product for you and your application. Our entire range of food grade hoses can be found here. If you have already found what you are looking for, please feel free to contact a member of our sales team for a free quote.
Do you need to transport or convey food or beverages via a hose? Then not just any ordinary hose will do. You&#;ll need a food-grade hose. But what exactly is one? Well, keep reading and The Hosemaster team will tell you everything you need to know about food-grade hoses&#;
A food-grade hose (also known as a food-grade tube, or more simply, a food hose), is a type of hose that&#;s used specifically for the conveyance of food and drink products like grains, flour, spices, beer and water.
A good quality food-grade hose will not merely transport food and drink, but it will preserve the food and drink&#;s quality and integrity as it does so.
Food-grade hoses are made from materials which are approved for use with foods and liquids. In the US, food-grade hoses must be made from materials which are FDA-approved.
In the UK and Europe, food-grade hoses must be made from materials that adhere to (EU) No.10/ and (EC) No./, which set out standards for food contact applications. Food hoses that are going to be used for the transfer of drinking water must be NSF51 and NSF61 approved too.
In practical terms, food-grade hoses need to be made from materials that don&#;t impart any smell or taste to the foods and liquids that are conveyed through them.
Food-grade hoses can be found in use anywhere that food and drink needs to be transported from one point to another.
As such, you&#;ll not only find food hoses in food processing plants, but in other environments such as pubs, restaurants and breweries too.
Food hoses can also be found in use in the pharmaceutical industry thanks to their ability to convey materials without imparting a smell or flavour to them.
Because food hoses need to be flexible, durable, easy to clean and able to maintain pressure, they tend to be manufactured from one of four types of material; polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), EPDM rubber and polyurethane.
We&#;ve detailed the individual characteristics of each of these four materials below.
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Polyvinyl chloride (more commonly known as PVC), is one of the most common materials used for food hoses, as PVC is both light and highly durable. PVC can withstand a broad range of temperatures, from -20ºC to +60ºC.
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PVC hoses are used widely for the conveyance of drinks and liquids, but are not usually used for the transport of fatty foods, as these food types require a heavier grade hose material.
Many of the PVC food hoses that we stock here at The Hosemaster are clear, so that you&#;ll be able to see what&#;s in the tube at a glance.
PTFE is another material which has found widespread use in the manufacture of food hoses. This is because PTFE is a highly-durable and strong material, able to withstand temperatures ranging from -70ºC and +260ºC.
PTFE food hoses also tend to be the easiest to clean, but this benefit is offset for many people by the higher cost of this type of hose.
EPDM rubber (also known by the rather wordy &#;ethylene propylene diene monomer&#;), is a type of synthetic rubber which is both extremely durable and flexible, and able to retain its integrity across a broad range of temperatures, in some cases being as broad as -35ºC to +95ºC.
EPDM rubber food hoses also have excellent resistance to both ozone and light, making them ideal for the conveyance of a wide range of foodstuffs.
Here at The Hosemaster, we stock EPDM rubber food hoses that are ideal for a range of industries including brewing and dairy.
If you need to convey fatty or abrasive foods from one point to another, then you&#;ll want to use a food-grade hose made from polyurethane. This is because polyurethane has a molecular structure that is particularly hard and resistant to wear, with excellent abrasion and impact resistance.
You can expect a quality polyurethane food hose to have a temperature operating range of -40ºC to +90ºC.
Yes. In order to make them more durable and long-lasting, many food hose manufacturers will reinforce their hoses in a number of different ways.
The different ways that food-grade hoses can be reinforced include:
With all of the above information in mind, what should you be looking for in a food-grade hose?
Whilst there are some properties you&#;ll need to look for in niche use cases, in general you will want your food hose to embody the qualities that are detailed below.
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For the majority of food and drink applications, you&#;ll need your food hose to be flexible and kink resistant. The last thing you want is for a food hose to become kinked, disrupting the flow of food/drink.
As food hoses can be used for the conveyance of rough foodstuffs such as grains and granules, it&#;s important that you select a food-grade hose which is highly resistant.
Should a food-grade hose not be able to withstand abrasion, then you&#;ll quickly find that it cracks and leaks.
If you know you&#;ll be conveying rough foodstuffs, it&#;s a good idea to use a reinforced food-grade hose.
As we mentioned earlier, in order to be compliant with the relevant regulations, food-grade hoses for sale in the UK must be odour resistant.
This means that they won't give the food and drink that passes through them a plastic type smell.
Whilst it may be tempting to use a cheaper, standard PVC hose, you&#;ll quickly regret it as it will almost certainly contaminate your foodstuffs or liquids.
Should you be looking to transport fatty or acidic foodstuffs, then you&#;ll want to make sure that your food hoses are chemical resistant.
Chemical resistant food hoses are ideal for environments such as food processing plants where they will have to withstand considerable abuse.
Food hoses often find themselves used in locations where fluctuations in temperature are common.
Whether it&#;s a food processing plant that goes from chilly in the morning to hot in the afternoon, or a brewery where it&#;s perpetually cold, it&#;s important that the food hose you select can operate within a broad temperature range.
We hope you&#;ve found our guide to food-grade hoses useful. If it&#;s made you start thinking about your own food hose requirements, then check out the extensive range of food-grade hoses that we keep in stock here at The Hosemaster.
For more buying guides, information and advice, read The Hosemaster blog&#;
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