Are GFS Silos Food Grade Certified?
Created on Today
Are GFS Silos Food Grade Certified?
Grain is food, and that single fact drives a requirement many silo buyers discover late: the wetted surface of the silo is a food-contact surface. Galvanized steel raises a specific question here, because zinc is a metal that can migrate, and food-contact regimes set limits on exactly that. A silo that is structurally perfect can still fail a food safety audit on material compliance.
A glass-fused-to-steel wall handles this well, because fired glass is inert and contributes nothing to the product. But inertness is a property, not a certificate - the certification has to be documented, and it has to cover every wetted component, including the sealant. Center Enamel supplies that documentation as a package rather than as a footnote.
1. Which Certification Applies to Grain Storage?
It depends on the market. The United States works from 21 CFR, Europe from Regulation 1935/2004 with national schemes such as LFGB, and many buyers ask for both.
· United States - 21 CFR 175.300: The regulation covering resinous and polymeric coatings for food-contact surfaces, which is the citation applied to silo coatings.
· European Union - Regulation 1935/2004: The framework regulation requiring that food-contact materials do not transfer constituents to food in quantities that could endanger health or change composition.
· Germany - LFGB: The national food and feed code supplying a detailed test regime that is widely accepted across Europe as evidence of compliance.
· Voluntary Certification - NSF/ANSI 51: The food equipment materials standard, increasingly requested by processors supplying branded food manufacturers.
2. What Does Certification Actually Cover?
Two things: that every substance in the coating is permitted, and that the finished surface does not transfer measurable material into food simulants.
· Composition Review: Each component of the coating formulation must be a substance permitted for food contact under the applicable regulation.
· Migration Testing: The cured surface is exposed to food simulants under defined time and temperature conditions, and the amount transferred is measured against the overall migration limit - commonly 10 milligrams per square decimetre or 60 milligrams per kilogram.
· All Wetted Components: Joint sealant, gaskets, nozzle fittings and discharge components must carry the same compliance as the panel coating.
· Conditions of Use: Certification is valid for stated conditions - contact time, temperature and food type - so check that the certificate covers the actual duty.
3. What Should You Ask a Supplier For?
Documents, not adjectives. Four items close the question, and a supplier who cannot produce them has not done the work.
· Written Compliance Statement: On company letterhead, naming the regulation, the coating system and the manufacturer.
· Third-Party Test Report: Migration or extraction testing performed by a competent laboratory, with the method and the results stated.
· Sealant and Gasket Certificates: Separate documentation for every non-metallic component in contact with grain.
· Batch Traceability: Identification linking the panels delivered to the coating formulation that was tested.
· Cleaning and Fumigant Compatibility: Confirmation that the coating tolerates the site's cleaning regime and the fumigants used, principally phosphine.
Scheme | Scope | Region |
21 CFR 175.300 | Resinous and polymeric food-contact coatings | United States |
EU Regulation 1935/2004 | Framework for all food-contact materials | European Union |
LFGB | Detailed national test regime for food contact | Germany, widely accepted in Europe |
NSF/ANSI 51 | Voluntary certification for food equipment materials | North America and export markets |
Migration testing | Measures transfer of substances into food simulants | Required evidence under all schemes |
Engineering Assurance and Project Support
Every tank delivered by Shijiazhuang Zhengzhong Technology Co., Ltd. (Center Enamel) is engineered against AWWA D103-09 and EN 1090 with finite element verification of shell, roof and nozzle loads, fused at 820-930°C under ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 control, holiday tested at 1500 V across one hundred percent of the surface, and assembled with Grade 8.8 bolts and manufacturer-certified sealant. Food-grade silo packages include coating compliance documentation against 21 CFR 175.300 and LFGB where required, food-grade sealant and gasket certificates, and confirmation of compatibility with phosphine fumigation and standard cleaning regimes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What certification applies to a grain silo coating?
In the United States, 21 CFR 175.300 for resinous and polymeric coatings. In Europe, Regulation 1935/2004 provides the framework and the German LFGB supplies the test regime most buyers request. NSF/ANSI 51 is the voluntary certification increasingly asked for by food processors.
What is the difference between LFGB and FDA?
FDA is a US regulator that sets requirements but does not certify products; LFGB is the German national code that provides a detailed, testable regime and is widely accepted across Europe as practical evidence of food-contact compliance.
Do sealants in a silo need food grade certification?
Yes. Every component in contact with grain must comply, including joint sealant, gaskets and discharge fittings. A certified panel coating with an uncertified sealant still fails the requirement, which is why the sealant certificate should be requested separately.
What is a migration test?
A test in which the cured coating is exposed to food simulants under defined conditions of time and temperature, and the quantity of substance transferred into the simulant is measured against a limit - commonly 10 milligrams per square decimetre or 60 milligrams per kilogram.
·
WhatsApp