Gasket selection for
food and beverage —
FDA, EC 1935/2004
and documented materials
Documentation scope: Approval, compliance and certification references apply to the documented material grade, supplier certificate or listing, and stated test conditions unless a product-specific certificate says otherwise. A cut gasket size is not automatically certified as a separate product just because it is made from a documented material. For regulated applications, confirm the current certificate or listing scope, exact grade, medium, temperature, pressure and market requirement before specifying.
The two main food-contact compliance frameworks
Gasket materials used in food and beverage production are subject to food-contact regulations that vary by market. The two most widely referenced frameworks are:
FDA and EC 1935/2004 are different frameworks with different requirements. Compliance with one does not automatically satisfy the other. Operations supplying both US and European markets, or equipment manufactured for international sale, often require materials with both compliance documents. The compliance status should be checked against Kinetics Line technical data or the gasket material datasheet for the specific grade — not assumed from the material family.
Field check: Before fitting a gasket in a food or beverage line, check four things: the grade name, the food-contact compliance document, the cleaning cycle and the actual medium. If any one of those is missing, do not choose by colour or material family. In food contact service, the paperwork is part of the specification.
Which Kinetics Line materials have food-contact compliance documentation
The table below shows documented food-contact compliance references across the Kinetics Line range:
| Series | Material | FDA | EC 1935/2004 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GREENSEAL PRO 180 | Cellulose + NBR | FDA 21 CFR 175.300 cited | — | The supplier sheet cites FDA 21 CFR 175.300 and legacy KTW. Confirm the exact food-contact conditions and obtain current market-specific drinking-water conformity; neither reference is blanket approval for a finished cut gasket. |
| BLUESEAL ULTRA 350 | Aramid + NBR | — | Source lists EC 1935/2004 | Mapped material documentation cites EC 1935/2004. Confirm the current declaration, contact conditions and supplied-grade traceability. |
| FLEXSEAL PRO 350 | Synthetic fibre + NBR | — | Source lists EC 1935/2004 | Mapped material documentation cites EC 1935/2004. Confirm the current declaration, contact conditions and supplied-grade traceability. |
| RUBBERSEAL PRO 110 | EPDM or SBR by SKU | Not established for the family | Not established for the family | Do not transfer an EPDM compound declaration across the mixed-material family. Verify the exact SKU, compound, batch and current declaration. |
| EPDM Peroxide O-rings | EPDM compound M534 | Source lists FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 | Source lists EC 1935/2004 | The mapped M534 compound data lists both references. Confirm the current declaration, contact conditions and batch traceability. |
| GRAPHITESEAL ULTRA 350 | Aramid + graphite + NBR | Not listed in mapped source | Not listed in mapped source | No food-contact evidence was found in the mapped grade source. Do not specify it for that duty without current grade-specific documentation. |
| REDSEAL PRO 110 | Vulcanised cellulose | — | — | TZW, CRECEP, WRAS for drinking water. Food-contact compliance not listed. |
This table reports only references found in the mapped source set. A source citation is not blanket approval of every cut gasket, and an empty cell is not proof of non-compliance. Confirm the current declaration, exact grade or compound, batch traceability, contact conditions and applicable market requirement before specifying.
What food and beverage applications actually demand
Beyond the compliance framework, food and beverage sealing environments place specific demands on gasket materials:
Why GRAPHITESEAL should not be specified for food contact without current grade-specific documentation
GRAPHITESEAL ULTRA 350 is a high-performance gasket material for demanding industrial applications — steam, high-temperature fluids, chemical service. It does not have food-contact compliance documentation and should generally not be used in positions where it may contact food, beverage media or food contact cleaning solutions.
Graphite-containing grades are not positioned for food contact use and do not have food-contact compliance documentation. For food contact positions, compliance status — not industrial performance — is the deciding factor. GRAPHITESEAL ULTRA 350 is the right choice for demanding industrial steam and chemical applications; it is not the right choice where food-contact compliance is required.
Do not use GRAPHITESEAL ULTRA 350 in food contact positions. Similarly, industrial grades of any fibre type — including aramid and cellulose grades without confirmed food-contact compliance — should generally not be used where they may contact food or food contact surfaces. The material family does not determine food contact suitability. The specific grade's confirmed compliance status does.
EPDM peroxide O-rings in food and beverage
The mapped M534 compound data lists FDA and EC 1935/2004 references. That makes these O-rings candidates for food and beverage duties only where the current compound declaration, supplied-batch traceability, process medium, temperature and CIP/SIP chemistry all match.
Peroxide curing — rather than sulphur curing — produces carbon-carbon cross-links in the EPDM polymer structure. These are more thermally stable than sulphur bridges and result in lower compression set at sustained temperature. In food contact applications where gaskets are subject to repeated steam sterilisation cycles, lower compression set means the O-ring maintains its sealing geometry more consistently over time.
EPDM compound M534 key properties relevant to food and beverage:
- Temperature range: -45°C dynamic / -65°C static to +150°C continuous, +160°C peak
- Compression set: 10% after 1000 hours at 110°C in water (DVGW W534) — relevant to long-term hot-water sealing; SIP steam cycles should be checked against the actual steam temperature, cycle time and compound data
- Compliance: FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 and EC 1935/2004 compliance documentation listed for compound M534
- Media: water, steam, dilute acids and alkalis — compatible with many CIP agents; specific CIP chemical compatibility should be checked for the concentration and temperature in use
Food-contact compliance is not assumed — it is confirmed from documentation, grade by grade.
The GREENSEAL source cites FDA 21 CFR 175.300; the declaration scope and finished-gasket traceability still need confirmation. The mapped BLUESEAL and FLEXSEAL sources cite EC 1935/2004, while the mapped M534 compound source cites both FDA and EC 1935/2004. Each claim still depends on the current declaration and supplied-grade or batch traceability. GRAPHITESEAL is not documented in the mapped source set for food-contact duty and should not be specified there without current grade-specific evidence. For any food or beverage application, confirm the specific grade's compliance status from the technical data sheet before specifying — and replace gaskets at every disassembly rather than reusing them.
Practical FAQ
What compliance is required for gaskets in food and beverage applications?
Food-contact specifications commonly reference applicable US FDA sections and, in the EU, Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004. Section 177.2600 is relevant to rubber articles intended for repeated use, but another material may cite a different FDA section; the exact declaration controls. Which applies depends on the market and regulatory environment. Some applications or customers may require both. A gasket material without documented food-contact compliance should generally not be used in applications where the gasket may contact food, beverage, or the water used to produce or clean food contact equipment.
Can you use a standard compressed fibre gasket in a dairy or brewery?
Not all compressed fibre gaskets are suitable for food and beverage contact. Many standard industrial grades do not carry food-contact compliance and should generally not be used where they may contact food, beverage media or CIP cleaning solutions that subsequently contact food. Specify only grades whose current documentation covers the exact material, intended food-contact conditions and applicable market framework. The compliance status of the specific grade, not the material family, determines suitability.
What is the difference between FDA compliance and EC 1935/2004 for gaskets?
FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 is a US regulation covering rubber articles intended for repeated food contact; other material constructions can cite different FDA sections, so the exact declaration controls. It sets compliance requirements for rubber articles intended for repeated food contact use — covering which substances may be present and related extractive limits. EC Regulation 1935/2004 is the European framework regulation for food contact materials, which sets general safety, inertness and non-tainting requirements. These are different regulatory frameworks with different scopes and testing requirements. Compliance with one framework does not automatically satisfy the other. Many food and beverage operations in export markets or with international supply chains require both.