Because of its popular application in a variety of industries, compressed air is often referred to as “the fourth utility.” In the food and beverage industry, air compressors are extremely useful because they provide a safe and effective method for packaging and manufacturing. Air compressors can help streamline food and beverage production by doing everything from peeling vegetables to regularly filling pastries.
Contact: A contact system is described as compressed air that comes into direct contact with food items. To ensure food safety, this compressed air must be adequately purified and filtered. It’s also important to keep the dewpoint of contact compressed air at the right level to avoid microbial growth. The British Compressed Air Society recommends a pressure in their Compressed Air Best Practice Guideline.
Non-Contact High-Risk: A non-contact high-risk device is one that uses compressed air in the manufacturing process but does not come into direct contact with food items. This is a non-contact high-risk device as compressed air is used to produce packaging that will later come into contact with the food product.
Low-Risk Non-Contact: Compressed air should not come into direct contact with food items or food contact surfaces in some cases. Compressed air is used to operate engines, control valves, air motors, and other pneumatic devices in pneumatic systems.