Understanding the Causes of Stainless-Steel Corrosion in Retorts and Practical Steps to Prevent Corrosion – a Primer

Because stainless steel is easily cleaned and does not rust under normal conditions, it is the preferred metal for food processing machines used in wet environments. A little-known fact about stainless steel is that it is prone to unique types of corrosion when the metal is exposed to a specific set of environmental factors. These corrosion producing conditions can exist during the operation of stainless-steel batch retorts and are not easily realized or recognized. Unless steps are taken to identify, reduce, or eliminate the causes of corrosion, batch retorts may have their service lives cut short, resulting in production disruptions and the need for early replacement of affected vessels.