Stainless steels have long been the leading material considered ideal for manufacturing structures and containers intended for food storage. Thanks to their smooth surface and sterility, they can successfully be used in contact with food.
Stainless Steel and European Union Requirements
Since joining the EU, we have been required to comply with a number of its directives. One of them states that a material used in contact with food must under no circumstances transfer any contaminants to food under normal or foreseeable conditions of use. These restrictions also apply to the aforementioned steel. It meets them 100 percent, so it can successfully be used, for example, in the production of various household vessels and cutlery.
Properties of Stainless Steel
Stainless steels are characterized by high resistance, which they owe to an invisible protective layer of chromium oxides. If oxygen is present in the environment, then even when the aforementioned layer is mechanically damaged, it will nevertheless be rebuilt.
These are not, however, all the advantages in favor of using stainless steel in the food industry. It is worth knowing that the smoother its surface, the easier it is to keep hygienic. It is also very important that these materials are resistant to corrosion, as is, for example, stainless steel 1.4057, and easy to process. In the case of the steel mentioned above, it is most commonly supplied in the form of peeled bars, hexagonal bars, forgings, and even sheets. In addition to the food industry mentioned above, it is also highly suitable for the marine, aerospace and paper industries, as well as for the production of shafts, pins, nuts and bolts.