scope:

These sanitary standards cover the material and serviceability requirements¹ of rubber and rubber-like materials intended for multiple-use as product contact surfaces or solution contact surfaces in the production, processing and handling of milk or milk products. Test procedures and criteria are also provided for rubber and rubber-like materials as a means of determining their acceptance as to their ability to be cleaned and to receive effective bactericidal treatment or steam sterilization and to maintain their essential properties in these accelerated use-simulating conditions². These standards are not meant to cover design and fabrication criteria for individual rubber or rubber-like components because such criteria are provided for in other 3-A Sanitary Standards and 3-A Accepted Practices, nor are these standards intended to cover RTV silicone adhesives or sealants.

In order to conform with these 3-A Standards, multiple-use rubber and rubber-like materials shall comply with the following material, original physical properties and serviceability requirements³.

¹ Procedures in Section C are serviceability requirements performed to evaluate the original physical properties of rubber or rubber-like materials.

² Procedures in Section D are not normal cleaning and bactericidal treatment tests but are accelerated use tests.

³ Use current revisions or editions of all referenced documents cited herein.