A safety crisis for pre-prepared food pipelines?
Date:2025-09-01View:9Tags:Welded steel pipe supplier,Sprial steel pipe,Seamless steel pipe manufacturer
Recently, an industry insider report regarding "corrosion on the inner walls of pre-prepared food pipelines" has garnered widespread attention. According to industry insiders, ordinary stainless steel pipelines used by some food processing companies have shown trace metal migration after prolonged contact with sauces and acidic ingredients. This discovery has brought the safety of steel pipes used in the food industry to the forefront.
Pipeline safety concerns emerge
"We inspected pipelines at 17 companies and found six with thinning pipe walls and excessive metal ion precipitation," said the head of a provincial food safety testing center. These problematic pipelines are primarily used to transport semi-fluid ingredients such as sauces and dressings with high salt and acid content.
Experts explain that while ordinary 
meets food-grade standards, long-term exposure to high chloride ion and acidic substances can still cause pitting corrosion. In particular, the frequent high-temperature sterilization of pipelines during pre-prepared food production accelerates the aging process.
316L stainless steel becomes the new favorite in the industry.
Faced with this industry risk, large food processing companies have begun comprehensively upgrading their production equipment. Reporters visited and found that leading companies have begun replacing the conveying pipes in their production lines with 316L ultra-low carbon stainless steel.
"316L molybdenum alloy stainless steel offers enhanced resistance to chloride corrosion and a lower carbon content, effectively reducing the risk of intergranular corrosion," said Professor Li of the China Special Steel Research Institute. "Originally used primarily in the pharmaceutical and high-end chemical industries, this material is now becoming the new standard in the food industry."
Steel pipe companies are experiencing a wave of technological upgrades.
This shift in demand has driven industrial upgrading in China's specialty steel pipe industry. Many companies have recently added 316L stainless steel production lines.
"Orders have increased by 300% year-on-year, primarily driven by demand from food machinery manufacturers and pre-prepared food factories," said the sales director of a Zhejiang steel pipe company. "Food-grade steel pipe now requires not only upgraded materials but also higher requirements for inner wall smoothness and weld treatment."
Regulators are following up with the formulation of new standards.
Faced with industry changes, the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) has also responded swiftly. It is reported that the "Safety Management Specifications for Stainless Steel Pipes for the Food Industry" has entered the public comment phase. The new standards will further enhance pipeline corrosion resistance and cleanliness requirements.
The Deputy Secretary-General of the China National Food Industry Association pointed out: "Pipeline safety is the 'last mile' of food production, and food safety must be ensured from the source of the materials. It is expected that the implementation of the new national standard will drive investment of over 10 billion yuan in equipment upgrades and renovations across the industry."
