When ‘Good Enough’ Isn’t Safe Enough.

In food manufacturing, many of the most serious risks don’t present themselves immediately. They develop quietly - inside pipework, seals, joints, and transfer systems, only becoming visible when production is interrupted, audits fail, or contamination is detected.

A common contributor to these issues is the use of non-food-grade or poorly specified components in hygiene-critical areas. While these parts may appear functional, their long-term impact on food safety, compliance, and operational stability can be significant.

Understanding where these risks arise, and how they can be mitigated, is essential for modern food manufacturers.

Contamination That Develops Over Time

Materials not designed for food contact can corrode, degrade, or shed particles as they age. This creates contamination pathways that are often invisible during day-to-day operations, including metallic fragments, chemical migration, and bacterial growth on rough or porous surfaces.

The challenge is that these risks may only surface during routine testing or audits, by which point production may already be compromised.

Food-grade systems address this by using non-reactive, corrosion-resistant stainless steel and food-safe sealing materials that maintain their integrity under constant use and frequent cleaning. By reducing areas where contaminants can develop or accumulate, they help protect product quality throughout the production process - not just at the final inspection stage.

Compliance Pressure and Audit Readiness

Regulatory frameworks such as EC 1935/2004 and FDA requirements exist to ensure that materials in contact with food do not pose a risk to consumers. However, when components lack clear documentation or traceability, proving compliance can become a major challenge during audits.

This often results in increased scrutiny, delayed approvals, or reactive equipment replacement, all of which disrupt production and strain internal resources.

Food-grade systems with documented conformity allow quality teams to demonstrate compliance quickly and confidently. Rather than justifying material choices retrospectively, manufacturers can focus on maintaining consistent standards and continuous improvement.

Cleaning Efficiency and Downtime

Cleaning is essential, but it comes at a cost. Equipment that is difficult to clean increases downtime, chemical usage, and labour demands. Non-food-grade systems often feature surface finishes or joint designs that trap residues, forcing longer and more aggressive cleaning regimes.

Hygienically designed food-grade systems simplify cleaning by reducing crevices and providing smooth, non-porous surfaces. This supports more consistent sanitation outcomes while helping manufacturers minimise downtime and resource consumption.

Reliability and Long-Term Cost

Components not designed for hygienic environments are more susceptible to wear, seal degradation, and corrosion, particularly when exposed to heat and cleaning chemicals. While initial costs for may be lower, failures often lead to unplanned stoppages, product loss, and repeated maintenance interventions.

Durable food-grade stainless steel systems are built to withstand these conditions, reducing failure rates and supporting more predictable maintenance schedules. Over time, this improves reliability and lowers total cost of ownership.

Managing Foreign Body Risk

Even well-maintained systems can experience wear. When standard seals or components fail, fragments can enter the product stream unnoticed, creating a risk that may only be identified after packaging or distribution.

Food-grade systems that incorporate detectable components provide an additional safeguard. If fragments enter production, they can be identified through existing detection processes and removed before products leave the facility – helping manufacturers manage risk when prevention alone isn’t enough.

A Preventative Approach to Food Safety

Food-grade systems are not simply about meeting minimum requirements. They form part of a preventative risk management strategy, reducing the likelihood of contamination, audit failure, and operational disruption before these issues arise.

For food manufacturers operating under increasing regulatory and commercial pressure, specifying the right materials is a foundational decision and one that supports safety, efficiency, and long-term confidence across every stage of production.

JACOB manufactures Conveying pipe systems for bulk goods handling, as well as dust extraction and ventilation systems for environmental applications

As a leading manufacturer and supplier of food-grade stainless steel pipes and accessories JACOB UK’s Food Grade Line is specially designed to meet the stringent regulations set out by the EC 1935/2204 as well as the FDA, and its extensive range includes everything from compensators and gaskets, segments and bends, diverters and pneumatic valves as well as blue seals. When combined with its Detectable Design range, JACOB UK ensures absolute purity in your production line.