Stainless steel is one popular type of steel known to be food-grade. The material is mostly seen in our homes because it is used to manufacture many of our cooking utensils. It is a material made from iron and carbon. There are various types of steel, but we are going to focus on food-grade quality steel. When something is ‘food-grade quality,’ it means it is safe for consumption and non-toxic. How can you determine if you are opting for food-grade quality steel? Before that, let’s talk about what makes steel food grade.
The first thing to know is that more than 100 grades of stainless steel are available on the market. Some of these grades look similar, but it does not mean they are the same. Food-grade steel has smoother finishing than others. They also have less permeable surfaces.
Properties of Food-Grade Steel
The following are some of the properties of food-grade steel
It Is Resistant To Heat
Stainless steel, which is a type of steel, is food-grade because it is resistant to heat. Imagine using metal that easily melts when placed on a fire. How can it be used to cook? For steel to get the certification as ‘food-grade,’ it must be heat resistant. This is possible because of a few factors. The main factor is that they have chromium as an outer layer which prevents the steel from burning.
They Can Tolerate Moisture and Certain Chemicals
Food-grade steel must be able to withstand certain chemical compounds like alkalis, acids, and chloride. For example, they must be able to withstand compounds like salt because it is a chloride. Without this feature on the steel, it is not food-grade because it can easily corrode once these compounds come into contact with it.
These are the main properties to consider when searching for food-grade steel. Suppose you want to determine whether a metal is food-grade easily. In that case, you have to analyse if they have the properties above. If not, they are probably not food-grade and must not be used.
Donewright Stainless is a company that handles everything metal. We specialize in projects for the food and dairy industry. If you are looking for a company to manufacture your food-grade materials, you can contact us for our services. Feel free to contact Donewright Stainless for all your metal services.
