Copper vs Stainless Steel pipes for CIP

Hi all,

1.  Aside from cost issues, what are the pros/cons of using stainless steel pipes vs copper pipes for a CIP system?  The pipes will be used to transport water, cleaner and sanitizer into a tank. 

2.  Are there other types of pipes that would meet food safety requirements that are not copper or stainless, that would be resistant to the cleaner and sanitizer (teflon?)? 

I don't have any idea what is best to use, so any insight, experience or options you can send my way would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Dear Miri

Infact, stainless steel pipes for CIP systems, because safety food.

Thanks

In my own opinion you should use stainless steel types because you're handling food. Copper has ions that could damage human health and plastics are brittle, causes frequent problem on leakage and plastics releases Hazardous phenol that is problematic to human health . So what do you think?  

Copper will react with alot of cleaning/sanitizing agents so not recommended as your spending a lot of money for a relatively short life span and the solder on the fittings is known to corrode. Stainless steel is incredibly expensive but will not react with most agents

A less expensive option is a material called Pex, which is a type of plastic tubing (it's what we have in my house when we re plumbed)  It doesn't require solder, is fast to install and easier to repair (should you need to). This type is not rigid and does not have the issues/debate that go along with HDPE type tubing

www.pexuniverse.com/content/types-of-pex-tubing----this article says that you can get NSF approved types of Pex. Just double check with the manufacturer about exposing it to the chemicals. It may be best for only the potable water sections