Stainless steel is the most commonly used material in the food and beverage industry.
The high resistance to corrosion and durability of stainless steel, along with several of its physicochemical properties, make it the ideal material for the processing, storage, and presentation of food. At Ulbrinox, we believe it is of vital importance to meticulously choose the grade of stainless steel for each purpose.
The advantage and importance of choosing the correct stainless steel for food is that it allows us to comply with regulations and standards, as well as maintain high standards of quality and hygiene.
Stainless steel in the food industry
At Ulbrinox, we offer more than 50 different grades of stainless steel for our customers, all iron-based alloys with at least 10.5% chromium, in addition to other additives for corrosion protection, heat resistance, and malleability.
For our customers in the food industry and food processing, there are 3 main types of stainless steel that they use:
- Stainless Steel Grade 304 and 316
These first two are used for containers and plumbing, they are austenitic stainless steels, that is, they are composed of 16-25% chromium and up to 35% nickel.
- Stainless Steel Grade 430
This steel is food grade, contains between 16-18% chromium and is used in applications with less need for corrosion resistance. It is often found in industrial equipment, panels, table boards, utensils, sinks, linings, refrigeration components, filters, etc.
Properties and characteristics of food grade stainless steel 430
The stainless steel 430 is part of the ferritic steel family, as we have mentioned in our previous articles, it has a decent resistance to corrosion and acids, it is magnetic and a bit malleable so we do not recommend its welding.
Another advantage of the properties of stainless steel 430 is that its cost is lower than stainless steel 304 or 316.
If it meets your requirements and you decide to use stainless steel 430 in your processes, contact us to get a quote or to receive more information. At Ulbrinox, we have specialized technicians for personalized advice.
