Food manufacturing and processing environments often require flexible hose to transfer ingredients between machinery, storage and processing equipment. Flour, sugar, grain, cereals and other dry ingredients can present very different challenges from air or water, making it important to select a hose designed for the application.

A suitable food grade hose needs to provide the required food contact compliance while also offering the flexibility, abrasion resistance and flow characteristics needed for regular material transfer.

What Is a Food Grade Hose?

A food grade hose is designed for applications where the hose may come into contact with food products or ingredients.

The construction and materials used need to be appropriate for the intended food contact application. Requirements can vary according to the food being transferred, operating temperature and conditions of use, so the relevant food contact documentation should always be checked before specifying a hose.

Food grade hoses are available for both liquid and dry food applications, including the transfer of powders, flour, sugar and grain.

Choosing a Hose for Flour and Powder Transfer

Flour and other powdered ingredients require careful consideration when selecting flexible hose.

Regular movement of dry materials can cause abrasion to the inside of a hose. A hose used for flour or powder transfer therefore needs to provide suitable abrasion resistance while remaining flexible enough for the equipment and installation.

A smooth internal surface can also help promote efficient material flow and reduce areas where material can collect.

Polyurethane is consequently used in many flexible hoses intended for dry food transfer because it can provide a useful combination of flexibility and abrasion resistance.

Food Grade Hose for Grain and Cereals

Grain, cereals and similar materials can also place significant demands on a hose.

The movement of solid particles through the hose makes abrasion resistance an important consideration, particularly in applications involving frequent or continuous transfer.

When choosing a food grade suction hose for grain, factors to consider include:

• The type of food being transferred
• Internal hose diameter
• Required flexibility
• Abrasion resistance
• Suction or vacuum requirements
• Operating temperature
• Food contact requirements
• Frequency of use

Choosing a hose based purely on its diameter may therefore result in a product that isn’t ideally suited to the complete application.

Why Use Polyurethane Food Grade Hose?

Polyurethane, often abbreviated to PU, is widely used for flexible industrial hose because it can combine flexibility with good resistance to abrasion.

For food handling applications, a polyurethane food grade hose manufactured from suitable materials can be used for transferring a variety of dry food ingredients while retaining the flexibility required for connection to processing and handling equipment.

Whitehouse Flexible Tubing’s Eolo PU Food is manufactured using an ether-based polyurethane wall with a rigid PVC spiral. Its smooth internal surface helps material flow, while the corrugated exterior provides flexibility.

Can the Same Food Grade Hose Transfer Liquids?

Some food grade hoses are suitable for both dry ingredients and liquids, although this should never be assumed.

The intended food product and the manufacturer’s food contact information need to be checked before use.

Eolo PU Food is designed for the suction and transfer of both dry food products and suitable liquids. Typical applications include flour, sugar, grains and animal feed as well as appropriate food liquids.

It is suitable for applicable aqueous and fatty food applications within the conditions stated in its food contact documentation, but it is not recommended for milk or dairy products.

Food Contact Compliance

Food contact compliance should be one of the key considerations when specifying hose for food processing.

Eolo PU Food complies with FDA Regulation CFR 21 Item 177.2600 and EU Regulation 10/2011 for the applicable food classes and stated conditions of use.

Always consult the relevant Food Contact Declaration when assessing a hose for a particular food product or processing environment.

Temperature and Working Conditions

Temperature can affect both the performance of the hose and its suitability for a particular food contact application.

Eolo PU Food has an operating temperature range from -40°C to +80°C, providing a broad working range for food handling and processing applications.

Other factors such as pressure, vacuum, bend radius and the material being transferred should also be considered when choosing a hose.

Choosing the Correct Food Grade Hose

There isn’t a single flexible hose suitable for every food processing application.

For dry ingredients such as flour, sugar and grain, abrasion resistance and material flow may be particularly important. Liquid applications can introduce different requirements, while some installations may require additional properties such as antistatic performance.

Whitehouse Flexible Tubing supplies a range of food grade hoses for different food processing and transfer applications.

For the suction and transfer of flour, sugar, grain, animal feed, dry food products and suitable liquids, explore our Eolo PU Food polyurethane food grade hose or contact our team for assistance selecting the correct hose for your application.

Why not consider Stainless Steel Griplock hose?

Flexible metal hose and tubing is used across a wide range of industrial applications where strength, temperature resistance and flexibility are important. From exhaust and extraction systems to material handling and industrial ducting, selecting the correct type of flexible metal hose can have a significant impact on the performance and reliability of an installation.

For demanding environments, stainless steel stripwound hose provides a robust solution capable of combining flexibility with excellent mechanical strength.

What Is a Stripwound Metal Hose?

Stripwound metal hose is manufactured by forming a continuous metal strip into a flexible tubular section. Depending on the construction, the metal strip can be interlocked to produce a strong yet flexible hose capable of accommodating movement and vibration.

Unlike many polymer hoses, a stainless steel flexible hose can be particularly useful where an application involves elevated temperatures, mechanical stresses or the risk of crushing.

Whitehouse Flexible Tubing’s Stainless Steel Griplock uses a fully interlocked stripwound construction to provide flexibility, high mechanical strength and good flow characteristics.

Where Is Flexible Stainless Steel Hose Used?

The versatility of stripwound construction means flexible stainless steel tubing can be found in a variety of industrial environments.

Typical applications include:

• Industrial air ducting
• Smoke and fume extraction
• Exhaust systems
• Dust extraction
• Dry bulk material handling
• Grain handling
• Plastic pellet transfer
• Paper trim extraction
• Protective casing for cables and wires
• Applications involving vibration or movement

The correct hose should always be selected according to the operating conditions and material being conveyed.

Flexible Metal Hose for Exhaust Applications

Temperature is an important consideration when selecting an exhaust or extraction hose.

Many conventional flexible hose materials have limitations when exposed to high operating temperatures. A stainless steel stripwound hose can provide an alternative for applications requiring both flexibility and increased temperature resistance.

Whitehouse Stainless Steel Griplock has a maximum operating temperature of +650°C, making it suitable for many high-temperature ducting, extraction and exhaust applications.

As with any exhaust installation, the complete operating conditions should be considered before selecting a hose, including temperature, diameter, movement and the media passing through it.

Handling Dust and Dry Materials

Flexible metal hose is also widely used for handling dry materials.

Griplock can be used for applications involving materials including ash, dust, grain, paper trim and plastic pellets. Its fully interlocked construction provides good mechanical strength while maintaining the flexibility required by many industrial installations.

Flow direction can be particularly important when conveying abrasive materials. The internal construction of Griplock provides a smoother surface in one direction, so installing the tubing according to the recommended flow direction can help optimise flow and reduce potential damage to both the hose and the material being conveyed.

Managing Vibration and Movement

Not every application involves simply connecting two stationary points.

Industrial machinery can produce vibration, while equipment and ducting systems can experience movement and thermal expansion during operation. Flexible metal tubing can help accommodate this movement while maintaining a connection between components.

Stainless Steel Griplock is particularly suited to applications involving vibration and thermal expansion and can also assist with noise attenuation in suitable installations.

Choosing the Correct Flexibility

The required flexibility can vary considerably between applications.

Stainless Steel Griplock is available with different flexibility characteristics, including Stiff/Stayput, Midflex and Loose/Floppy options on applicable sizes.

Midflex is the standard construction and is suitable for many general applications, while other options can be specified where increased rigidity or greater freedom of movement is required.

What Sizes of Flexible Metal Hose Are Available?

Industrial applications can require anything from small-bore flexible tubing to large-diameter ducting.

Stainless Steel Griplock is available in a comprehensive range of inside diameters, with sizes from 6mm through to 457mm listed as standard. Intermediate diameters and non-standard lengths may also be available for applications requiring a more specific solution.

Finding the Right Flexible Metal Hose

Choosing a flexible metal hose should involve more than simply matching the diameter. Temperature, flexibility, bend radius, media, movement and the operating environment should all be considered.

Whitehouse Flexible Tubing manufactures and supplies flexible metallic tubing for a wide range of industrial applications and can assist with non-standard sizes, lengths and made-to-order assemblies.

For applications requiring a robust stainless steel flexible hose, view our Stainless Steel Griplock range or contact our team to discuss your application.