Custom FDA-Compliant, NSF 51 and NSF 61 Compliant Material Solutions for Food, Beverage, Dairy, and Industrial Applications
Food and beverage manufacturers operate in some of the most demanding production environments in the world. Equipment used for processing, filling, packaging, pumping, and handling food products must maintain strict hygiene standards while delivering reliable performance over millions of operating cycles.
At the center of this reliability are high-performance sealing components.
Food grade seals and gaskets prevent leaks, protect equipment, maintain sanitation, and help ensure that processing systems operate safely and efficiently.
For OEM equipment manufacturers, selecting the correct sealing material is not simply a purchasing decision – it is an engineering decision that affects equipment performance, maintenance requirements, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction.
SantopSeal Corporation manufactures custom food-grade seals, gaskets, tubing, and extrusion profiles for OEM customers throughout North America. Using a wide range of elastomer materials including Santoprene TPV, TPE, silicone, EPDM, and other engineered materials, SantopSeal helps companies develop sealing solutions designed for demanding food, beverage, water, medical, and industrial applications.
What Are Food Grade Seals and Gaskets?
Food grade seals and gaskets are sealing components manufactured from materials specifically selected for applications where contact with food, beverages, drinking water, or sanitary processing environments may occur. Unlike standard industrial seals, food-grade sealing components must be designed around additional requirements, including:
- Material safety
- Regulatory compliance
- Resistance to cleaning chemicals
- Temperature performance
- Long-term durability
- Resistance to moisture and contamination
These components are commonly used in:
- Food processing equipment
- Beverage production machinery
- Dairy processing systems
- Commercial kitchen equipment
- Packaging machinery
- Pumps and valves
- Water filtration systems
- Pharmaceutical equipment
Why Food Processing Equipment Requires Specialized Sealing Solutions
Food processing environments create unique challenges for sealing materials. A gasket used in a food production system may be exposed to:
Frequent Cleaning Cycles – Many food and beverage systems use:
- Hot water cleaning
- Steam cleaning
- Chemical sanitation
- Clean-In-Place (CIP) procedures
The sealing material must maintain its properties after repeated exposure.
Temperature Changes- Food equipment may experience:
- Freezing temperatures
- Hot processing temperatures
- Steam exposure
- Thermal cycling
The correct elastomer must maintain flexibility and sealing performance throughout the operating range.
Chemical Exposure – Cleaning and sanitation chemicals can affect certain materials.
Engineers must consider resistance to:
- Detergents
- Acids
- Alkalis
- Oils
- Sanitizers
Sanitary Design Requirements- Food-grade seals must support equipment designs that minimize:
- Product contamination
- Bacterial accumulation
- Leakage
- Downtime
Proper seal geometry and material selection are equally important.
NSF 51 and NSF 61 Certified Food Grade Materials
When selecting food-grade seals and gaskets, OEM engineers often require materials that meet recognized industry standards.
NSF/ANSI 51 covers materials used in food equipment applications.
Materials meeting NSF 51 requirements are commonly used in:
- Food processing equipment
- Beverage systems
- Commercial food equipment
- Food-contact applications
NSF 61 Certified Materials
NSF/ANSI 61 relates to materials used in drinking water system components.
NSF 61 compliant materials are commonly used for:
- Water handling systems
- Drinking water applications
- Plumbing components
Important Certification Consideration
Certification applies to the specific material formulation and intended application.
A certified raw material does not automatically mean every finished custom seal or gasket is certified for every use condition.
OEM customers should evaluate:
- Material certification documentation
- Temperature requirements
- Chemical exposure
- Application conditions
- Final product requirements
SantopSeal works with certified material grades when applications require NSF, FDA, food-contact, or other regulatory requirements.
Materials Used for Food Grade Seals and Gaskets
One of the biggest advantages of working with a custom sealing manufacturer is the ability to select the material that best matches the application.
SantopSeal can manufacture food-grade sealing components using a wide range of elastomers and thermoplastic materials.
Silicone Food Grade Seals and Gaskets
Silicone is one of the most widely recognized materials for food and sanitary applications.
Advantages include:
- Excellent temperature resistance
- Flexibility
- Good aging performance
- Food-contact suitability
- Clean appearance
- Long service life
Common applications:
- Food equipment seals
- Beverage equipment
- Bakery equipment
- Pharmaceutical processing
- Laboratory applications
Silicone is often selected when temperature extremes and flexibility are critical.
EPDM Food Grade Seals and Gaskets
EPDM is a popular elastomer for applications requiring excellent resistance to:
- Water
- Steam
- Weather
- Ozone
- Temperature cycling
EPDM food-grade seals are commonly used in:
- Dairy equipment
- Processing machinery
- Pumps
- Valves
- Beverage systems
EPDM is often preferred when water and steam resistance are major requirements.
Santoprene TPV Food Grade Seals and Tubing
Santoprene TPV combines rubber-like performance with thermoplastic processing advantages.
Benefits include:
- Excellent flexibility
- Consistent properties
- Good chemical resistance
- Low compression set
- Long-term durability
Santoprene TPV is commonly used for:
- Food-grade tubing
- Pump tubing
- Sealing profiles
- Industrial applications
For OEM applications requiring flexible thermoplastic performance, TPV can provide an excellent alternative to traditional rubber materials.
TPE Food Grade Seals and Profiles
Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) combine characteristics of rubber and plastic.
Advantages include:
- Flexible performance
- Custom processing
- Efficient manufacturing
- Design versatility
TPE materials are commonly used for:
- Custom extrusions
- Tubing
- Gaskets
- Flexible profiles
Other Elastomer Materials Available
Depending on the application, food-grade sealing solutions may also utilize:
- TPV
- Silicone
- EPDM
- Santoprene™
- TPE
- Nitrile (NBR)
- Neoprene
- FKM/Viton®
- Other specialty compounds
Material selection depends on:
- Temperature
- Chemical compatibility
- Compression requirements
- Flexibility
- Regulatory requirements
- Application environment
Custom Food Grade Extruded Seals and Gaskets
Many OEM equipment manufacturers cannot use standard catalog seals. They require custom profiles designed specifically for their equipment. Custom extrusion allows manufacturers to produce:
- Unique sealing geometries
- Custom dimensions
- Multiple sealing lips
- Channels and grooves
- Co-extruded profiles
- Tubing configurations
Examples include:
- Food processing gaskets
- Sanitary equipment seals
- Custom tubing profiles
- Pump tubing
- Door and access panel seals
- Equipment enclosure gaskets
A custom extrusion manufacturer can work from:
- Engineering drawings
- CAD files
- Existing samples
- Performance requirements
Extrusion, Molding, and Fabrication Capabilities
Different applications require different manufacturing methods. SantopSeal supports multiple manufacturing approaches, including:
Extruded Seals and Profiles- Ideal for:
- Continuous lengths
- Custom profiles
- Tubing
- Gaskets
- Sealing channels
Molded Rubber Components – Ideal for:
- Complex geometries
- Three-dimensional parts
- Custom components
Fabricated Components – Extrusions can also be:
- Cut
- Spliced
- Joined
- Converted into finished assemblies
This allows OEM customers to receive production-ready components.
Industries Using Food Grade Seals and Gaskets
Food-grade sealing solutions are used across many industries.
Food Processing Equipment – Applications include:
- Processing machines
- Mixers
- Conveyors
- Filling equipment
- Packaging systems
Beverage Equipment – Applications include:
- Beverage dispensers
- Pumps
- Filling systems
- Fluid transfer equipment
Dairy Equipment – Applications include:
- Milk processing
- Cheese equipment
- Cleaning systems
Water and Filtration Systems – Applications include:
- Water equipment
- Filtration systems
- Fluid handling
Why OEMs Choose a North American Food Grade Seal Manufacturer
Working with a domestic manufacturing partner provides advantages including:
Made in USA Manufacturing- Benefits include:
- Shorter supply chains
- Faster communication
- Reduced logistics challenges
- Better production visibility
Engineering Support- A qualified extrusion partner helps with:
- Material selection
- Profile design
- Prototype development
- Production optimization
Rapid Prototyping and Custom Dies- Custom tooling allows OEMs to create optimized sealing solutions without being limited to standard products.
Low Minimum Orders and Production Flexibility- Manufacturers often need support for:
- Prototype quantities
- Small production runs
- Large OEM programs
A flexible supplier can support projects from development through full production.
How to Select the Right Food Grade Seal Manufacturer
Before selecting a supplier, OEM engineers should consider:
Does the manufacturer understand your application?
Experience with food, beverage, and sanitary applications matters.
Can they recommend the correct material?
Material selection determines performance.
Can they support custom designs?
The best sealing solution is often application-specific.
Can they provide documentation?
Regulatory and material documentation may be required.
Request a Custom Food Grade Seal or Gasket Quote
Choosing the correct food-grade seal or gasket requires experience with materials, manufacturing processes, and application requirements. SantopSeal provides custom sealing solutions for OEM customers needing:
- Food-grade seals
- Thermoplastic gaskets
- NSF 51 approved gaskets
- NSF 61 compliant seals,
- FDA tubing
- Silicone seals
- EPDM gaskets
- Santoprene TPV seals and gaskets
- Custom & Standard food grade tubing
- Extruded profiles
- Molded rubber components
With U.S.-based manufacturing, engineering support, custom tooling capabilities, and flexible production options, SantopSeal helps companies develop reliable sealing solutions for demanding applications.
Contact SantopSeal today to discuss your food-grade sealing application and request a custom quote.
Certifications & Compliance:
ISO 9001 | NSF 51 & NSF 61 | USP Class VI | RoHS Compliant | REACH| UL 94 V-0
Contact SantopSeal Corporation:
- Phone: +1 (412) 444-1888
- Fax: +1 (412) 444-1882
- Email: info@santopseal.com
Website: https://www.santopseal.com/