Top 3 Benefits That Rubber Has Brought to the Restaurant Industry

Rubber is one of the materials that is commonly found in our day-to-day activities. Its somewhat omnipresent nature can be linked to its versatility. Somehow, rubber has managed to find a way to fit into almost every aspect of human life. From the moveable arms of a lifesaving machine to gardening tools, rubber is an invaluable material to humans.

Among the innumerable industries that have found rubber useful, the food and beverage industry, especially restaurants, is unique in its needs. Rubbers used in this sector don’t only have to be durable but also adhere to strict guidelines that ensure the rubber doesn’t cause contamination of food and drinks. The application of rubber in this industry is wide, but here are three major benefits that rubber has brought to it.

1. Conveyor Belt

A large portion of the activities in restaurants is repetitive. These are tasks that bore humans out naturally and call for a need to mechanize. One such task is the movement of one item from one point to another. A machine that makes this process easier and seamless is the conveyor machine. This allows for a mass movement of food or drinks from the point of production to the point where they are needed.

Apart from the fact that this machine is more efficient, it also reduces the number of times humans have to make contact with these items, thereby reducing the risk of contamination. Rubber in the form of a conveyor belt is an essential part of this machine.

2. Seals and Gaskets

Foods and beverages are made of active ingredients. This means they can interact with the materials of their containers. In fact, some of these consumables may be acidic in nature. A wrong reaction between the container and its content can lead to public health hazards and this is why special attention is paid to the materials that are used to seal these items.

Gaskets, on the other hand, are an essential part of many machines found in kitchens and restaurants. They help create a liquid seal between moveable parts of machines. They also reduce the pressure that would have naturally developed due to decompression. It is also important that debris is kept out of these machines lest they malfunction. Gaskets also help to create a seal that protects the machinery from dust and debris.

By implication, restaurant owners have to consider seals and gaskets that not only prevent exposure of consumables, but also rubbers that can withstand changes in temperature without turning into a contaminant themselves. While there are several arrays of o-ring sealants out there, Viton fluorocarbon o-rings have been proven to be a safe and reliable seal for use in this industry.

3. Tubings and Plumbing

The movement of liquid and semi-solids is one of the activities that are at the soul of every restaurant. There needs to be a coordinated flow of water into the kitchen for daily tasks such as washing and making food and drinks. Semi-solids and liquids such as creamer and coffee are also dispensed in a hygienic environment through tubings and hoses that are made from rubber.

In the plumbings, rubber pipes serve all purposes from carrying off sewage to bringing in water from the outside source.

A Vital Ingredient for the Restaurant Industry

It is hard to imagine what our world would look like in the absence of rubber. While most people hardly notice it, the restaurant industry cannot function the way it does today without it. It also gets better with the development of synthetic rubbers that are made to serve special purposes.