Food and beverage ingredients require safe and durable containers that preserve product purity during storage and transportation. Industrial drums and pails lined with food-grade coatings form a barrier between the metal substrate and the contents, ensuring compliance with strict regulatory standards while extending service life.
UNICHEM’s RESCO® linings meet food-grade coatings for metal requirements. They are engineered to meet these demands, combining chemical resistance, recoatability, and curing flexibility to protect against harsh chemistries without compromising food safety.
Regulatory Standards for Food-Grade Contact Coatings for Metal
Food-grade contact coatings for metal must meet rigorous safety and compliance standards before they can be used in packaging that comes into direct contact with consumables. In the United States, the FDA regulates these coatings under 21 CFR 175.300 – Resinous and Polymeric Coatings, which specifies conditions for safe use and acceptable chemistries in food-contact applications. Meeting these requirements ensures that coatings act as inert barriers, preventing chemical migration and safeguarding both food quality and consumer health.
UNICHEM designs food-grade coatings for metal contact with drum and pail linings, including the RESCO® Universal Drum Linings, with compliance as a foundation, while also optimizing performance for chemical resistance and processing efficiency. This dual focus allows manufacturers to meet regulatory expectations while maintaining reliability in real-world operating environments.
Performance Advantages of Food Grade Coatings for Metal Drums and Pails
While compliance ensures coatings are safe for contact with consumables, performance defines how well they protect against the demanding realities of storage and transport. UNICHEM’s food-contact coatings combine strong chemical resistance with the durability to withstand repeated handling and exposure to cleaning processes. Whether resisting acids, alkalis, solvents, or moisture, these coatings form an inert and protective barrier that prevents corrosion and safeguards product integrity.
By offering both solvent-borne and water-borne linings, UNICHEM provides manufacturers with coating systems engineered for their production environments. Each formulation is designed to maintain adhesion, resist wear, and preserve the quality of stored contents over time.
Unique Benefits of the RESCO® Universal Lining
The RESCO® Universal lining is one of UNICHEM’s most versatile interior food contact drum coatings, designed for industries that demand both compliance and performance. Engineered with high-heat curing capability, this lining provides superior durability across a wide range of applications, including food-grade uses.
Key advantages include:
- Broad Chemical Resistance: Protects against aggressive chemistries that may cause alternative linings to fail.
- Recoating Capability: Allows drums to be recoated without performance loss, a rare feature in the industry that reduces waste and extends asset life.
- Flexible Compliance: Available in standard and BPA-free options, while meeting FDA, CONEG, Kosher, and REACH standards.
This balance of compliance and durability makes RESCO® Universal an efficient, multipurpose solution for food-grade coatings for metal applications as well as other industrial uses.
Expanding Options with Aqualon® 902 Acrylic Drum Exterior Coating
For drum exterior applications, UNICHEM’s water-based, Aqualon® 902 Acrylic Drum Coating provides a complementary layer of protection. This low-heat curing, water-based system provides a high-quality exterior drum coating that offers resistance to weathering and environmental exposure, particularly when drums are stored outside, while aligning with sustainability goals through its lower VOC profile. Used alongside interior linings like RESCO®, Aqualon® ensures that both the inside and outside of drums maintain reliable performance across long storage and transport cycles. UNICHEM also manufactures solvent-based drum exterior coatings, utilizing our uniPON(R) (Epoxy), Flexlain-(Polyester), and uniCRON (Acrylic) technologies.
Supporting Diverse Market Applications
UNICHEM’s food-grade drum and pail coatings are engineered for industries that demand reliability and regulatory compliance. From packaging food ingredients and beverages to protecting detergents, solvents, and specialty chemicals, these coatings provide the durability and safety required in high-volume, high-stakes markets. Their ability to resist chemical attack, meet FDA requirements, and even allow recoating gives manufacturers a dependable solution for both new production and refurbished containers.
Ensuring Compliance and Long-Term Protection
Food-contact compliance is more than a regulatory checkbox; it is a safeguard for product purity, consumer safety, and brand reputation. By aligning with 21 CFR 175.300 and other international standards, UNICHEM interior container coatings offer robust chemical resistance and flexibility, enabling application via spray or roll-coating methods. These systems ensure that metal packaging performs reliably from initial processing to end use.
Safe, Compliant, Drum and Pail Coatings Built to Last
UNICHEM’s RESCO and Aqualon drum and pail coatings offer a balance of compliance, chemical durability, and operational efficiency. Whether protecting food-grade contents, resisting aggressive chemistries, or supporting sustainable manufacturing, these linings deliver consistent results across a wide range of applications.
UNICHEM offers high-performance drum and pail coating technologies that combine compliance with long-term durability. Our RESCO® and Aqualon® linings and exterior container coatings are engineered to provide superior protection against chemicals and environmental factors while meeting strict food-contact standards. Contact us today to learn more about our food grade coatings for metal.