Unlike compressed air usage in other industries, there are no standards or legislation that define an acceptable minimum purity level for compressed air used in food manufacture. While regulations and codes around the world state that compressed air used in this environment must be contaminant-free and pose no risk, no actual limits are stipulated.
The risk to food and drink from compressed air processes can potentially be significant if the right precautions and preventative measures have not been taken. Moisture, oil and other particles all pose a risk in applications where compressed air is commonly used, such as drying and filtering.
As a result, all food and drinks manufacturers want to take the steps required to ensure their goods meet the highest quality standards. All steps throughout the supply chain – from manufacturing and processing, to packaging, transporting and storing – must be closely scrutinised, and ensuring compressed air purity levels are never compromised should be a top priority for decision makers.