Coatings for Corrosion Prevention Food Processing Facilities

By Cynthia Challener

Corrosion prevention in the manufactur­ing environment is a significant issue given the harsh conditions under which many production processes are performed. For the same reason, it is often very difficult to effectively achieve. In the food processing indus­try, there are added challenges; corrosion prevention in many instances must be accomplished using materials that meet strict requirements for direct or indi­rect food contact (e.g., in the US 21 CFR 175.300 for food contact use). Many types of coatings­ both inorganic and organic-are used for corrosion prevention of the processing equipment and floors, walls, and ceilings in processing plants. Some types of food and beverage packaging (e.g., metal cans) also require coatings for protection against corrosion.