Butterfly Valves for Food & Beverage

Hygienic butterfly valves are the preferred large-bore isolation and control valve for food and beverage processing where CIP-cleanable design, low pressure drop, and compact installation are essential. Vajra Industrial Solutions supplies EHEDG- and 3A-certified butterfly valves in SS 316L with EPDM, PTFE, and silicone seats for dairy, brewing, beverage, and food processing piping from DN50 to DN300.

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What butterfly valves does the Food & Beverage industry use?

Key Applications - Butterfly Valves in Food & Beverage

Tank Farm Isolation - Brewery and Dairy

Large-bore butterfly valves for process tank inlet/outlet isolation, CIP return headers, and product transfer manifolds in dairy and brewery tank farms. EPDM seat for hot product (wort, pasteurised milk) and steam CIP; PTFE seat for chemical CIP agents. Pneumatic actuated with NAMUR-interface for automated tank farm control systems.

DN50–DN300, PN 10, SS 316L, EPDM seat, tri-clamp or wafer, EHEDG, pneumatic

CIP and WIP Return Lines

Butterfly valves on CIP (Clean-In-Place) and WIP (Wash-In-Place) return headers. Must withstand caustic (2% NaOH, 80°C), acid (0.5–1% HNO3 or PAA, 60°C), and hot water rinses. EPDM seat is the standard for caustic CIP; Viton for aggressive acid-based CIP agents. Full-bore design to minimise pressure drop and enable self-draining.

DN80–DN200, PN 10–16, SS 316L, EPDM/FKM seat, wafer or lug, CIP-validated

Juice and Carbonated Beverage Filling Lines

Butterfly valves on juice pasteuriser feed, filling machine supply, and carbonation equipment. Cavity-free hygienic body to prevent product trapping. PTFE seat for acid fruit juices (pH 3–4); EPDM for hot fill applications. Hygienic shaft seal design with no exposed threads on product-contact side.

DN50–DN150, PN 10–16, SS 316L Ra ≤0.8 µm, PTFE seat, cavity-free, 3A Sanitary

Sugar and Sweetener Transfer

Butterfly valves for high-Brix sugar syrups, glucose syrup, and liquid sweetener transfer. Full-bore disc to reduce product shear and caramelisation risk at the seat edge. EPDM seat compatible with hot sugar (>70°C); no dead-leg zones behind the shaft. Jacketed body option for very high-viscosity cold syrups.

DN80–DN250, PN 6–10, SS 316L, EPDM seat, full-bore disc, self-draining

Required Certifications

EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group) - Class I or II3A Sanitary Standards 55-02 - Butterfly valves for dairyFDA 21 CFR Part 177 - Material complianceEN 10204 3.1 MTCs - SS 316L material traceabilityNSF/ANSI 51 - Food equipment materialsISO 9001:2015 - Quality management

Recommended Materials

SS 316L (1.4404) - body, disc, and shaft - mandatory for food-grade butterfly valves

EPDM seat - standard for dairy, hot product, and caustic CIP service

PTFE seat - acid fruit juices, chemical CIP agents, neutral pH products

FKM (Viton) seat - fatty food products, high-temperature fats and oils

Silicone seat - high purity, low-taste-transfer food applications

Surface finish Ra ≤0.8 µm (product contact) - EHEDG and 3A requirement

Selection Factors

CIP validation: Confirm EHEDG- or 3A-certified design - not all butterfly valves marketed as hygienic are genuinely CIP-validated

Disc clearance: Some butterfly disc designs create a product trap between disc edge and body bore in the partly-open position - select designs with minimal shadow area

Shaft seal hygiene: Avoid designs with exposed shaft threads on the product side - hygienic shaft seal with no crevice around the shaft penetration

Seat replacement: Seats are wear items - select designs where seats can be replaced without special tools or returning to factory

Dead-end service: Standard wafer butterfly valves are not suitable for dead-end (single-flange) service - use lug pattern for dead-end food applications

Actuator hygiene: IP67-rated pneumatic actuator enclosures in wet processing areas - water ingress to actuator internals causes corrosion and contamination risk

Technical FAQs

Can a standard (non-hygienic) butterfly valve be used in a food processing line?

No. Standard industrial butterfly valves (carbon steel or cast iron body, rubber-lined) are not permitted in food product contact piping. They fail food safety requirements on multiple counts: (1) body material is not food-grade (carbon steel corrodes, cast iron is porous); (2) seat material (NBR, SBR) is not FDA-compliant for food contact; (3) internal cavity design traps product and is impossible to clean; (4) surface finish (>Ra 3.2 µm) promotes biofilm formation. Only SS 316L hygienic butterfly valves with EHEDG/3A-certified cleanable design should be used in food product contact service.

What is the difference between EHEDG Class I and Class II butterfly valves?

EHEDG classifies hygienic valves into: Class I - aseptic design, suitable for SIP (steam sterilisation) and aseptic filling lines, withstands steam at 135°C, validated for both CIP and SIP cycles; Class II - cleanable design, validated for CIP only (not SIP/aseptic), suitable for pasteurised products where heat treatment is done inline (pasteurisers, HTST) but aseptic conditions are not required. For dairy, UHT, and sterile beverage applications: specify EHEDG Class I. For general food, brewing, and non-aseptic juice applications: EHEDG Class II is sufficient and cost-effective.

What seat material should I specify for a CIP butterfly valve in a brewery?

For brewery CIP service: EPDM is the standard seat material - it withstands caustic (NaOH, 2–3%, 80°C), hot water rinses, and cold beer at pH 4–4.5. Avoid PTFE seats for CIP caustic cycles - PTFE has low resilience at elevated temperatures and can cold-flow under seat loading at 80°C. If the brewery also uses PAA (peracetic acid) as a sterilant at high concentrations, verify EPDM compatibility with your specific PAA supplier. FKM (Viton) seats are also used where both hot CIP and acid sterilant compatibility is required.