What Is Food Grade Silicone

Food -Grade Silicone

The main purpose of Food-grade silicone is used for the manufacturing of food-contact products. Food-grade silicone is a type of silicone that is safe for use with foods. Silicone is used frequently in making molds to use for food that begins as liquids and solidifies. It is nontoxic; does not stain food, dishes or cookware; is easily removed from cast objects; and is safe for use on various plastic objects.

Food-grade silicone is a non-toxic type of silicone that doesn’t contain any chemical fillers or by-products, making it safe for use with food.

Silicon, the naturally occurring chemical element that makes up silicone, is a metalloid, which means it has properties of both metals and non-metals and is the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust, after oxygen.

The Food Grade Silicone is:

• Highly resistant to degradation from extreme temperatures and can withstand heating and freezing without leaching off hazardous chemicals.
• BPA Free, therefore, is safe for food.
• Stable, Durable and Flexible.
• Hypoallergenic, odor and stain-resistant.
• Easy to clean with its smooth and soft surface.
• Does not break, peel or rot, making it the perfect material for eco-friendly products.
• Lightweight, easy and space-saving, therefore, can take everywhere.
• More durable than plastic and better for the environment.

The Standard of Food-Grade Silicone in different Countries:

The silicone molecule is comprised of silicon, oxygen and quartz, a durable, hard, inflexible “rock”, which is the most common component of sand. Due to its resiliency, non-porous surface and sustainability, food-grade silicone is essentially soft glass

In the USA: Most countries have their own FDA standard, but the USA FDA is the most internationally applied. while FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is the base level standard in the USA and Australia. Food-grade silicone rubber is highly versatile and resistant to extreme temperatures, making it an excellent choice for products used in everything from the home kitchen to industrial manufacturing and processing plants. FDA-approved food-grade silicone is available for applications that require it, or for any usage where supreme resistance to chemical and bacterial contamination is desired.

A good material for products requiring airtight or water-tight features.

Many authorities, researchers and experts consider it to be safe for food and drink. According to Health Canada, “There are no known health hazards associated with use of silicone cookware. Silicone rubber does not react with food or beverages, or produce any hazardous fumes.”

In Europe: LFGB is standard mainly for Europe.LFGB Silicone is a premium grade of silicone that has passed LFGB testing standards.

There are two testing standards for Silicone that can be sold that are considered food grade.

Silicone products that pass either one of these tests are deemed safe for human use. In terms of pricing,  products in LFGB standard will be more expensive than FDA standards, so FDA is more widely used.

The difference between LFGB and FDA lies in the different methods of testing, with LFGB testing regulations the toughest of all standards where the silicone material must pass more intensive testing compared to FDA silicone testing.

Even though both FDA & LFGB-approved silicone is considered food safe, silicone that has passed LFGB testing is higher quality silicone.

Food Grade Silicone applications

FDA food-grade silicone is used for a wide number of purposes within the food sector, including:

To be considered FDA food grade, silicone must adhere to FDA regulations, allowing it to be a suitable material for food contact. It must also be animal fat and chemical resistant, as well as waterproof.

Conclusion:

In Z.S.R group, the silicone products for babies, home and houseware, beauty and personal care, pets, outdoor and sports, protective cases and promotional gifts are all made with Food-Grade Silicone.

Any Molded Silicone products or custom Silicone products molding project needs technical support, you could buy any custom-molded Silicone products at ZSR Group. ZSR Group has rich experience in producing Food Grade Silicone products with FDA or LFGB-approved standards. We have the FDA register list number 3011147430. Contact us or email us for more information.