Given the size of some of the meat and poultry equipment, NSF offers manufacturers the option of evaluating the equipment at the user's processing facility, because this may be the only site where the equipment is completely assembled. The Standard also requires the manufacturer to provide for review manuals that include cleaning, maintenance, and installation procedures. There is no Splash Zone as there is in food equipment. Due to the specialized end use environment and necessary cleaning procedures, material requirements are different than those for food equipment in restaurants. The best example concerns the use of aluminum.
Most aluminum alloys are acceptable for all zones for use in food equipment.
The Food Processing standard does not allow the use of aluminum unless it has been treated with an acceptable coating such as hard coat anodizing. This is because most food processing equipment is pressure cleaned with a caustic solution that would pit and corrode untreated aluminum. For more information, contact John Armbruster,800-NSF MARK, ext.