NSF-approved Profiles
NSF International, The Public Health and Safety Company™ (www.nsf.org), is an independent, global public health and safety company that tests and certifies food, water and consumer goods. NSF publishes consensus standards for these industries. NSF standards are developed through the participation of those directly affected by the effectiveness and application of the standard. NSF’s consensus standards process is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). ANSI’s accreditation verifies that NSF develops standards in a manner to ensure openness and due process. This method also ensures balanced participation from industry representatives, public health and regulatory officials, as well as consumer representatives.
NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Center that provides safety audits for the food and water industries.
NSF/ANSI Standard 51: Food Equipment Materials – Plastics Materials, and Components used in Food Equipment establishes specific requirements and limitations for a variety of materials used in food processing equipment (e.g., broiler, beverage dispenser, cutting board, stock pot). The Standard is also applicable to components such as tubing, sealants, gaskets, valves, and other items intended for various food equipment applications that may have incidental contact with food products.
NSF/ANSI Standard 61: Drinking Water System Components Health Effects dictates requirements for plastic plumbing products that come in contact with drinking water. Because water can pick up impurities from the materials it touches, it is important for consumers to make sure that the products in their home that come into contact with water intended for human consumption meet the health effects requirements of Standard 61. Some of these devices include kitchen, bar, and lavatory faucets, water dispensers, drinking fountains, water coolers, glass fillers, residential refrigerator ice makers, supply stops and endpoint control valves.
Our experienced and knowledgeable staff can recommend the right material for your plastic profile to meet any applicable NSF/ANSI standard.
Latex Free Profiles
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 8 to 12 percent of health care workers and 1 to 6 percent of the general population have been allergy sensitized to certain proteins in Natural Rubber Latex. The amount of exposure to latex needed to produce an allergic reaction is unknown but it is known that increasing the exposure to latex proteins increases the risk of developing allergic symptoms. Symptoms include skin rash and inflammation, respiratory irritation, asthma, and in rare cases shock. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that wherever possible, products should be selected that reduce the risk of allergic reactions. The development of new Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPEs) and flexible polymers with properties similar to natural rubber provide latex-free alternatives for applications seeking to eliminate the possibility of allergic reactions. We can provide latex-free profiles in a number of cost effective materials.
Flexible PVC
Flexible PVC is an excellent material for the use in latex-free profiles. Flexible PVC costs less by weight than rubber or TPEs and provides significantly greater clarity. Flexible PVC is readily solvent bonded, more kink resistant (in tubing) and exhibits less neck down (width/breadth narrows) when stretched. Flexible PVC is generally known to be the most cost effective, high performance material used in Latex-free profiles.
Thermoplastic Elastomer
Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) is a soft and Elastomeric polymer with some exciting properties that make it a good alternative for many latex or silicone applications. FDA, NSF and USP Class VI material compounds are available for medical and food/beverage applications. Low durometer TPEs provide a lower cost alternative to latex. Styrenic TPEs also provide economic and performance advantages while exhibiting the same functional and tactile properties as natural rubber. Besides processing at higher rates within tighter tolerances, TPEs cost considerably less by weight than silicone rubber and are more nearly transparent. TPEs have good elasticity and better low
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