When it comes to the food industry, all practices and equipment must be as sanitary as possible. Large food packaging plants typically make use of air compressors near San Jose for a variety of applications, but the specific compressors you choose should be suitable for the task at hand. Compressed air that contacts food or packaging materials directly should be kept as pure as possible in order to avoid contamination and keep customers safe and healthy. Continue on if you would like assistance in choosing an air compressor for your food packaging plant.

Contact

Air compressors are used for an array of different tasks within the food packaging industry, and it is important that the proper type is used in each situation. When you use your air compressor to bring compressed air and food products in direct contact, you have a “contact” system. In order to ensure that the food products that do come into direct contact with pressurized air stay sanitary and safe for consumption, you must use a properly sanitized air compressor. You can ensure that your compressed air is safe by keeping it to an extremely low-pressure dew point so that no microorganisms can grow on the contacted food products.

Low Risk, No Contact

Not every process involved with the food packaging industry is equally sensitive. A “Non-Contact Low-Risk” system occurs when your compressed air does not come into contact with food products or the machines that package them. Some plants end up wasting energy and money by using the wrong air compressors in this type of situation. Since the risk is low, not all of the air in the facility must be held to the same dew point standard.

High Risk, No Contact

You might find situations where there is no contact between compressed air and food products, yet there is still a high risk of contamination. This may occur when machines use air to create food packages before the food product is actually packaged. In this type of situation, it is wise to use the same type of air compressor and standards as a “contact” situation.