Selection and uses of stainless steel in food industry.

Use of stainless steel in the food industry is discussed. Aspects considered include: materials used for food processing equipment (the need for product purity, corrosion resistant equipment); characteristics to be considered when selecting a material for construction of food processing equipment (mechanical properties, effect of high and low temp., corrosion resistance, ease of fabrication, cost); limitations of stainless steel (attack by lactic and malic acids at elevated temp., poor thermal conductivity); properties of stainless steel (non porous surfaces, corrosion resistance, resistance to mechanical damage, cleanability, formability); classification of stainless steels (martenistic, ferritic, austenitic, precipitation hardening, duplex); mechanical properties; types of corrosion and preferred stainless steel grades; selection for higher strength and corrosion resistance; pitting and crevice corrosion; stress corrosion cracking; intergranular corrosion; performance ranking; finish; surface treatments for use in the food industry; sand blasting; acid pickling; alkaline cleaning; electrolytic cleaning; solvent degreasing; and specific uses of stainless steel grades in the food industry.