Introduction
Material selection for food processing equipment is not simply a mechanical engineering decision. It carries regulatory, safety and hygiene implications that affect both product compliance and end-consumer safety. Specifying the wrong plastic material in a food contact application can result in contamination, regulatory non-compliance and costly equipment downtime.
This guide covers the key considerations for specifying engineering plastics in food processing applications, which materials carry the required approvals and what forms are available from Plastix Factory.
Why Material Selection Matters in Food Processing
Engineering plastic components are used throughout food processing facilities in conveyor systems, cutting boards, bearing housings, guide rollers, wear strips, pump components and machine parts that come into direct or indirect contact with food products.
Materials used in these applications must meet strict regulatory requirements. The two most referenced standards in global food processing procurement are FDA regulations in the United States and EU Regulation 10/2011 in Europe. Materials that do not carry these approvals should not be used in food contact applications regardless of their mechanical performance.
Beyond regulatory compliance, food processing environments present additional material challenges including exposure to aggressive cleaning agents, high pressure water jets, steam sterilisation, temperature cycling and the requirement for visual fragment detection in the event of component failure.
Key Material Requirements for Food Processing Applications
Regulatory Compliance Materials must carry documented FDA or EU10/2011 food contact approval. Always request material compliance documentation from your supplier before specifying.
Chemical Resistance Food processing facilities use aggressive cleaning agents, disinfectants and sanitisers. The specified material must resist these chemicals without degradation, swelling or surface breakdown.
Low Moisture Absorption Materials with high moisture absorption will change dimensionally in wet environments, leading to component failure and potential contamination. Low moisture absorption is a critical requirement for food processing plastics.
Visual Fragment Detection In food processing environments, any plastic component that fails can contaminate the product line. Materials available in high-visibility colours such as blue allow fragments to be detected visually or through X-ray and metal detection systems.
Machinability and Surface Finish Food processing components require smooth, easily cleanable surfaces. Materials must be machinable to fine surface finishes that do not harbour bacteria or food residues.
Recommended Engineering Plastics for Food Processing
POM-C Natural and Black POM-C is one of the most widely specified engineering plastics for food processing applications. It carries full FDA and EN food contact compliance, offers excellent dimensional stability and very low moisture absorption. Its good frictional properties make it suitable for guide rollers, bearings and precision mechanical components in food processing machinery.
POM-C Blue RAL5002 The Blue RAL5002 variant is specifically developed for food processing environments. The distinct blue colour makes plastic fragments easily detectable visually and through detection systems, significantly reducing contamination risk. It carries full EU10/2011 and FDA food approval and is the preferred choice for food processing facilities with strict contamination control protocols.
PET PET offers high tensile strength, low moisture absorption, high chemical resistance and low thermal expansion. It is suitable for food processing components requiring dimensional precision and resistance to cleaning agents. PET is widely specified for bearings, bushings, guide rollers and wear pads in food processing equipment.
PE 500 PE 500 is a high-molecular polyethylene characterised as physiologically harmless with good mechanical properties including scratch and cut resistance and very good resistance to acids. It is widely used in the slaughterhouse and food industry as well as shop-floor and cold store construction. Available in multiple colours for application-specific colour coding.
PVDF PVDF offers exceptional chemical resistance and thermal stability, making it suitable for food processing applications involving aggressive cleaning agents or elevated temperatures. It is specified for pipes, fittings and components in food and beverage processing equipment.
PPSU Medical and General Grade PPSU is specified for food processing applications requiring repeated steam sterilisation. It maintains its mechanical properties and dimensional stability across multiple autoclave cycles. The General Grade carries chemical and hydrolysis resistance suitable for food and beverage processing and membrane housing applications.
Materials to Avoid in Food Contact Applications
Not all engineering plastics are suitable for food contact applications. The following materials should not be specified for direct food contact without verifying specific grade compliance:
Standard ABS, PEI and PSU are not typically specified for direct food contact applications. Always verify material compliance documentation with your supplier before use in any regulated application.
Colour Coding in Food Processing
Many food processing facilities implement colour coding systems to segregate equipment by processing zone or food type. Engineering plastics are available in multiple colours to support these systems. POM-C is available in blue RAL5002 for maximum fragment detection. PE 500 is available in natural, black, yellow, green, red, blue, grey and reddish brown. PA6C Colour is available in red, yellow, green and blue.
Colour coding reduces cross-contamination risk and supports HACCP compliance in food processing facilities.
Forms Available for Food Processing Applications
Plastix Factory supplies food-grade engineering plastics in all standard semi-finished forms including sheets, round bars, tubes, blocks and discs. Finished parts machined to customer drawings are also available through our in-house CNC centres.
Standard stock dimensions are available for prompt delivery. Custom dimensions are produced as made-to-order for specific equipment requirements.
Certifications
All Plastix Factory production facilities are certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015. Material compliance documentation for FDA and EU10/2011 food contact approved grades is available on request.
Summary
Specifying engineering plastics for food processing applications requires careful consideration of regulatory compliance, chemical resistance, moisture absorption, fragment detection and machinability. POM-C, PET, PE 500, PVDF and PPSU are the most commonly specified materials for food processing applications and are all available from Plastix Factory in standard and custom dimensions.
When in doubt, always request material compliance documentation from your supplier and consult your regulatory team before finalising material specifications for food contact applications.
Request a Quote
Plastix Factory supplies food-grade engineering plastics from four global production facilities in Austria, Germany, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. All production is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015.
Contact our technical team or visit our B2B portal at plastixfactory.com/store to place your order.