Hygienic Wall Cladding That Meets Food Industry Regulations

Governments place high emphasis on hygiene where food or food products are made, stored or served. The walls and ceilings of these premises must not permit accumulation of dirt or allow condensation and should have only a minimum of particle shedding.

Traditional wood cladding suffers on all these counts. They tend to accumulate dirt that is difficult to remove. They can get damp from inside out if not outside in. Wood is probably the worst performer in the matter of particle shedding.

Regulators keep an eye on food establishments and can force the closure of the business if it fails to meet the regulatory standards. In the interests of your business, it is important that you comply with all regulations applicable to you.

Food establishments like hotels and restaurants are increasingly opting for hygienic wall claddings made from plastic.

Plastic hygienic wall cladding can meet the tough food industry requirements by providing smooth, easy to clean surfaces that area also easy to disinfect. The smooth surfaces prevent dirt from becoming ingrained, and pressure washing can easily clean any superficial dirt. Plastic does not get damp the way wood does. Where necessary, any water drops on the surface can be easily wiped away or dried otherwise.

This kind of hygienic wall cladding can be made to withstand temperatures typically found in food establishments, such as refrigerated rooms and milking parlors. The material can be worked upon more easily and fitted to awkward corners to create a completely hygienic environment.

To meet the objection that plastic is environment unfriendly, makers of this type of hygienic wall cladding materials have developed ways to use recycled material. They might use a core of recycled material that accounts for most of the content, with the outer skins being finished with new plastic.

Different plastics have differing properties and should be used selectively to suit the particular requirements of an establishment. The materials differ in temperature resistance, flammability, toughness and other characteristics.

Plastic wall cladding is lightweight and easily handled. The lightweight characteristic also minimizes structural support requirements, a major consideration in wall cladding.

Unlike traditional wood cladding, plastic is hygienic, less expensive, looks better, does not need painting and will not rot. It can also be worked in ways to suit awkward shapes.

The wall cladding is fixed using profiles and specially made fasteners. Some makers design the products in a way to hide the fasteners. This can improve aesthetics of the interior walls.

Conclusion

Tough food industry regulations that place high emphasis on hygiene wherever food is made, stored or served mean that you have to be careful in how your food business premises are outfitted. Hygienic wall cladding using plastic materials is a good option in this industry. Plastic is more hygienic than traditional wood cladding, does not get damp or allow difficult-to-remove dirt to accumulate. The greater flexibility of plastic also makes it possible to create a completely hygienic environment.

Plastic not only provides a hygienic wall cladding, it is also less expensive than wood, does not need painting and can be finished beautifully to different themes.

Alan Matchett B.Eng, Director IPSL, advisor to plastics industry and article writer for http://www.ipsluk.co.uk