Food & Beverage Cables

In many ways, food processing plants operate in the same way as any automated warehouse, requiring a range of power, control and fieldbus (data) cables to operate. Yet Food & Beverage (F&B) cables and their accompanying accessories can not only deliver the required performance but can also support food safety standards. It’s not just the use of Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) cables in factories to minimise the smoke and toxic fumes emitted in the event of a fire. The use of Polyurethane (PUR) instead of PVC as a sheathing materials can prevent bacterial microbial cross-contamination or the effects of atmospheric moisture – PVC being permeable and so supporting bacterial growth; ExE grade cable glands are designed for flammable environments – important in milling and sugar refineries where a build-up of dust particles can cause a risk of explosion. Choosing the correct specification for your application is critical.

Food & Beverage (F&B) Cable Applications

Automation and Equipment

Production lines can run 24hrs a day 365 days of the year and so the cables connecting power, controlling conveyor line speeds, and signals identifying necessary actions must match the demands of performance. Eland Cables offers a comprehensive range of automation cables for control, servo and fieldbus applications, including the Veriflex brand which hold the BSI Kitemark as a valuable third-party certification mark of quality.

Cold Storage

Whilst many cables will continue to operate to temperatures as low as -25^oC, they may only be suitable for fixed applications. Additionally, industrial cold storage, whether refrigeration or freezers, may require the option for even lower temperatures. The Arctic grade 318-A offers a multicore PVC cable that retains its flexibility down to -40^oC. For easy identification it is available with blue or yellow sheathing.

Line Wash-downs

Food processing plants handling meat or dairy require frequent and ongoing sanitising to maintain cleanliness – it’s not hard to imagine the enormity of the task. These rooms, and the cables connecting equipment and infrastructure, are subject to water pressure from hoses and direct impact from the water spray, requiring a robust construction and a non-permeable outer sheathing. This can be an aggressive environment and so the cables need to withstand this frequent process.