Silicones are used throughout food processing because they are chemically inert, stable from freezer to oven temperatures, and do not taste or smell. They rarely end up in the food itself; they work on the process and on the equipment.
Antifoams
Foam slows filling, overflows vessels and traps air in products such as fermented foods, juices and fried foods. Silicone antifoams — usually polydimethylsiloxane with silica — break foam at very low dosages. Food regulations set which silicone antifoams may be used and in what quantities.
Release agents and coatings
Silicone release coatings on baking trays, moulds and baking paper let food come away cleanly and keep the equipment easy to clean. Silicone oils are also used as release agents in some processing steps.
Food-contact rubber
Silicone rubber is used for seals, gaskets, tubing, conveyor parts and bakeware because it stays flexible over a wide temperature range and does not affect taste. Food-contact rubber is compounded and cured specifically for that use, and tested for what it can release into food.
Grades and approvals
Anything used in food or in contact with it must be made and documented for that purpose — for example under US FDA regulations or EU food-contact rules. Industrial grades are not interchangeable with food grades, however similar the chemistry. If your application involves food, tell us the regulation you need to meet before specifying a product.
To discuss a food-related application, contact our technical sales team.