Benefits of Food Grade Stainless Steel in the Foodservice Industry

Corrosion resistance: Stainless steel is especially resistant to corrosion and rusting compared to other metals, which makes it perfect for use in the kitchen. Food grade stainless steel is often used   stainless steel   for kitchen equipment, which is costly to replace. But, because most stainless steel grades are highly corrosion resistant, you won't have to worry about replacing your equipment as frequently.

 Strength: Food grade stainless steel is strong, and it's an excellent material to use in heavy-duty equipment or in shelving for storage areas.

. Ease of cleaning: Other materials, such as wood or plastic, have grooves or openings where bacteria can invade and grow. Stainless steel is smooth and doesn't provide a place for bacteria to hide, allowing you to clean them away easily, which is an essential benefit for foodservice.

. Non-reactive surface: Stainless steel is a non-reactive metal, which means that you can use it to cook foods that are acidic like citrus, tomatoes, and vinegar. Other metals, like aluminum and iron, are reactive and cooking acidic foods in these metals will affect the flavor and damage the surface of the metal.

Systems for Stainless Steel Grades
There are many different types of stainless steel, and the differences can vary greatly between types. To better differentiate between different types of stainless steel, they are split up into grades. There are many different grading systems that are used by different countries and in different settings. For the foodservice industry, there are two stainless steel grades that you should know to best which are SAE grades and flatware grades.

SAE Grades: This grading system is implemented by SAE International, an organization of engineers that develops standards for professionals in various manufacturing industries. To distinguish between stainless steel grades, their system uses whole numbers to categorize the different types. You may also see this grading system called the AISI system, which refers to the American Iron and Steel Institute, which originated this system, although it's now updated and regulated by SAE International.

Flatware Grades: Another system to organize stainless steel grades in the foodservice industry is the flatware grading system. This system uses ratios such as 18/0, 18/8, and 18/10 to describe the levels of nickel and chromium in food grade stainless steel. Chromium and nickel are the two most important elements for flatware, as they affect the corrosion resistance, shine, and magnetism of the steel. Another ratio you may come across is 13/0, which is used to make most food grade stainless steel dinner and dessert knives. 13/0 stainless steel is softer than the other stainless steel grades, so manufacturers can add serration to the blade. And, while this grading system is typically used to describe flatware, it may also be used to describe some pots, pans, and other types of food grade stainless steel cookware.