Hygienic flexible conduit solutions for the food & beverage and pharmaceutical industry

The EU food hygiene directive EC852/2004 mandates that every segment of the production process must be evaluated for risks, using Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), and insists that all parts of the production line remain accessible for thorough cleaning.

EU machine directive 2004/42/EC specifically jackets machinery intended for food, cosmetics or pharmaceutical products to prevent food or micro-bacterial contamination. The European Standard EN-1672-2 further divides food equipment into designated zones (Food Area, Splash Area and Non-Food Area) to guide cleaning protocols.

In the United States, similar hygiene measurements are enforced under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), with ISO 14159 and NSF/ANSI 169 serving as respective equivalents, and food-grade materials regulated and approved by the FDA according to FDA CFR 21 § 177.2600 in conjunction with ANSI/NSF International Standard 51.

An unrecognized and therefore unknown benefit of a hygienic liquid-tight flexible metal conduit system is easy and accessible cleaning of lesser surface. For this specific industry we highly recommend to put as many cables, wire and even small sized pneumatic air hoses combined as possible in one flexible conduit. Cleaning one, bigger surface of a flexible conduit is easier, less time consuming and thus more beneficial than cleaning multiple smaller surfaces of separate cables, wires or air-hoses. Not even mentioning eventual accessories which help these stay in place.

Recognizing rigorous hygiene standards is paramount in the food and beverage sector to safeguard safety and ensure regulatory compliance. Unprotected cables can get damaged due to accumulated contaminants, compromising food quality and making cleaning more difficult.

As hygienic design must be implemented at every stage of production, liquid-tight flexible metal conduits must have a plastic jacket that meets strict standards such as EHEDG, FDA and NSF/ANSI 169 to deliver antibacterial contamination protection and cleaning efficiency.

Anaconda Sealtite types FG and HTFG are constructed from a highly flexible metal inner core and a thick, smooth plastic jacket. Where the jacket of type FG is made from a Food Grade PVC, type HTFG has a jacket made from Thermal Polyurethane (TPU) which makes it suitable for applications where a higher temperature resistance is needed. Both types are available in the color blue, recommended for food applications, and white, recommended for pharmaceutical applications.

Although Anaconda Sealtite type FGUA is in terms of construction, materials and colors identical to type FG, this type is UL listed and CSA certified. From size 3/8” up to size 1-1/4” the inner core of this type contains an integral grounding copper wire.

Anaconda Sealtite Compact Hygienic fittings are specially developed for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industry. They fully comply with all EHEDG recommendations for applications where hygiene is an uncompromising necessity. They are available in stainless steel AISI-316 as a straight and 90° elbow fixed version with ISO metric and NPT male thread, with or without UL/CSA approval. The clamping ring and sealing rings are blue-colored and made from a special formulated halogen-free TPE according to FDA CFR 21. This special formulated TPE ensures an ingress protection of IP 68 according to EN 60529 / IP 69 according to DIN 40050-9 (up to 40 Bar high pressure).

Integrating certified hygienic conduit solutions from Anamet Europe ensures compliance with EHEDG, FDA and NSF/ANSI standards, superior contamination protection and optimal cleaning efficiency.

For further consultation, contact Anamet Europe’s expert team.