Those unfamiliar with the importance of compressed air quality are likely to assume that it’s “just air” – even when used in manufacturing settings. However, when this air comes in contact with critical products like food or pharmaceuticals without being properly tested, you run the risk of introducing dangerous contaminants into your product.
The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) is known for helping manufacturers in these industries understand best practices for purity specifications. BCAS recently updated their guide with a push toward more stringent purity classes. Below, we’ll unpack some of the updates surrounding ISO 8573 so you can stay up-to-date with your compressed air system requirements.
ISO 8573 Compressed Air Purity Classes
ISO 8573 is an international standard that defines purity classes for three major contaminant categories: particles, water and total oil (aerosol + vapor).
The previous guideline for food and beverage applications included two categories of recommendations. These include:
• Direct Contact Compressed Air – air that comes into direct contact with the product itself
• Indirect Contact Compressed Air – air that is used in close proximity that may come into contact with surfaces, but not the product or ingredients themselves.
When it comes to standards surrounding direct-contact compressed air, the guidelines recommend they meet at least a 2:2:1 contaminant ratio. Meanwhile, indirect-contact compressed air is held to less stringent expectations with a recommendation of 2:4:2.
Notable BCAS Compressed Air Updates
The most recent update from BCAS includes a tightened stance in several areas of food manufacturing. For one, there is now a stricter purity class recommendation for both direct and indirect contact compressed air in these settings. The previous requirement for indirect-contact air has been replaced with a new benchmark recommendation of 1:2:1 across the board.
Updated BCAS Recommendation: Both Direct and Indirect Contact: [1:2:1]
These new guidelines will help reduce the risk of food safety issues and introduce higher standards of quality and safety overall.
The main driving factor of this increased stringency is to crack down on moisture control as damp, humid air is the prime environment for bacteria and mold. There has always been an emphasis on microbiological control within ISO 8573, though now facilities are urged to rigorously assess their water vapor contamination and reduce their microbial risk by ensuring their air is dry enough to meet Class 2 for water. BCAS also encourages your systems be designed with less microbial “hot spots” like water pools or condensation traps.
More frequent overall testing is also stressed. Previously, facilities were required to sample twice per year, minimum. This hasn’t technically changed, though it is now suggested to take additional samples when it comes to at-risk system lines. Follow up sampling is also necessary for post-maintenance such as filter or valve replacements. Understandably, it is recommended that facilities act quickly when irregular results are noted.
Higher Standards, Less Risk
These new updates may seem daunting at first. Stricter guidelines can be a change for facilities with compressed air. However, when facilities are held to a higher overall standard, risks of contamination and illness are lowered. For more information on how to meet these new requirements, please contact our AirCheck experts who can make testing simple and straightforward.
