The key priority in the food industry is keeping all the surfaces and equipment absolutely safe and sanitary. Whether you are running a restaurant or a commercial kitchen, your number one concern should be making sure that no bacterial biofilms ever build up on the surfaces where the food is prepared.

Of course, you need to make sure all the other surfaces are clean as well, including tables, floors and pretty much everything else. However, since metal work surfaces and stainless-steel equipment are most subjected to the regular use of cleaning chemicals that are potentially corrosive, they should be at the top of your priority list.

You need to make sure you take a few necessary steps to improve the quality and longevity of those metal parts, effectively increasing their corrosion resistance and ensuring the absolute safety of both your staff and your customers. Here are the key steps you should take.

Electropolishing vs Passivation

Both electropolishing and passivation are metal-finishing methods for increased corrosion resistance, but they greatly differ from one another.

The chemical process of passivation requires frequent pre-cleaning, as it doesn’t always effectively remove all contaminants at once. It does remove free iron and any other foreign matter from metal surfaces, but it doesn’t remove heat tint or oxide scale. It also doesn’t brighten the processed metal parts.

On the other hand, electropolishing combines chemicals and electricity to effectively remove all surface and embedded contaminants in one go , including heat tint and oxide scale. It also brightens and polishes metal parts, leaving them ultra-smooth, and it’s perfect for all grades of stainless steel. The best part? Electropolishing renders stainless steel 30 times more corrosion resistant than passivation.

So, consider these facts if you’re experiencing the struggle of electropolishing vs passivation. If you’re still worried about potentially making the wrong choice for your equipment, be sure to consult with a professional in the field who will know exactly what you need.

Epoxy Floor Coatings for Safety, Sanitation, and Better Aesthetic Appeal

Epoxy coatings are becoming a more and more popular choice in residential commercial and industrial construction, as they come with some pretty great benefits. Owners of various restaurants are increasingly embracing them because they are very easy to clean and maintain. They are also extremely durable and can go several decades without a single peel or crack.

Moreover, floors coated with epoxy significantly improve safety, as they are not slippery and effectively oppose heat or fire. They are also very resistant to stains, cracks, and abrasion, which makes them incredibly cost-effective (and they are actually very affordable).

Last but not least, epoxy coatings make floors look very elegant and professional, as they provide a very appealing surface shine.

However, before coating your floors with epoxy, you need to make sure you get the floors ready for the process. Floor preparation prior to epoxy coatings is crucial for making sure the process goes smoothly so, depending on the type of your floors, you need to take proper preparation steps. Speak with a professional before you start coating your floors, as they will help you make the right decision for your every floor.

There are many more steps you need to take to ensure that your food service facility is absolutely safe and sanitary at all times, but you should definitely start the aforementioned ones. After all, the metal surfaces where the food is prepared are the most important ones to properly maintain and keeping the floors heat- and fire-resistant and actually safe to walk on is vital for very obvious reasons.