PPE seals pass the 3-A Sanitary Standards test

This represents a trend in food production towards third party verification as a means of guaranteeing consumers and retailers product quality and safety.

Formed by the dairy industry, the 3-A Sanitary Standards organisation defines specifications and best practice for the design, manufacture,installation and use of hygienic equipment in the dairy industry throughout the USA and Europe.

Now, the organisation has introduced a third party verification programme for all 3-A approved equipment.

For the first time, dairy equipment is independently evaluated by a 3-A certified Conformance Evaluator. This has highlighted the requirement that all rubber seals and gaskets used in the equipment must be compliant to the latest 3-A specification.

PPE seals meet the requirements of this new third party verification programme. The company's seals are all manufactured in accordance with 3-A Standard 18-03 for multiple-use rubber and rubber-like materials used as product contact surfaces in dairy equipment.

This defines requirements for food quality materials that must also be suitable for cleaning and sanitising solutions.

"Over the past year conformance to 3-A Sanitary Standards has shifted from self-certification to third party verification reflecting a commitment by 3-A to ensure dairy production equipment meet exacting cleanliness and hygienic requirements,"​ said Peter Cloney, managing director, PPE​.

"We are delighted to have met the rigorous conditions necessary to achieve 3-A​ Sanitary Standards third party verification."​

The organisation's criteria is accepted by equipment manufacturers, fabricators, users and sanitarians. The 3-A Symbol, where authorised by3-A SSI, is used by equipment manufacturers and fabricators to indicateconformance to 3-A Standards.