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304L Stainless Steel: Why Is It Food-Safe?

Stainless steel, also known as inox, offers a multitude of possibilities for use. However, it is important to note that there are different types of stainless steel. If you are planning to design or renovate your kitchen, it is essential to choose a high-quality food-grade stainless steel to ensure durable and safe results.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the different types of stainless steel and provide you with advice on choosing the best food-grade stainless steel for your kitchen project.

⚙️ What are the different types of stainless steel?

Stainless steel is a metal composed of different materials, essentially iron, carbon, and chrome.

But there are also several types ofstainless steel. It is therefore important to know how to distinguish food-grade stainless steel to use it in your kitchen. Indeed, let us not forget, it is the healthiest and safest material for contact with food:

The304L stainless steel: The quintessential food-grade stainless steel is the most used material for making kitchens for professional restaurateurs. Worktops, backsplashes, food-grade machines, and sinks are made from this very well-known stainless steel.
L'316 stainless steel or marine stainless steel: It is more for use in humid or aggressive environments, for example, in salty seawater. Note that it is also common in the pharmaceutical, medical, and hospital fields.
The430 stainless steel: This one, for its part, belongs to the family of ferritic stainless steels. Difficult to weld, it is mainly used for all kinds of furniture: tables, chairs, indoor furniture… It should be avoided in often humid environments.

⚙️ Why "Stainless Steel 304L"?

394L stainless steel is often mentioned in the industry, but why this specific material? The answer lies in its unique characteristics. The "L" in 304L stands for "Low Carbon", which translates to "less carbon" in French.

This composition allows for better corrosion resistance, which is very important in demanding environments such as the chemical and food industries.

How to recognize food-grade stainless steel

Thefood-grade stainless steel most used for its quality is 304L, also called 18/10. Its name comes from its composition:

18% chrome: giving it long-term rust resistance,
10% nickel: which significantly improves the material's neutrality in terms of taste (which would be deposited on the food).

To know if you have a food-grade stainless steel, you can take a magnet and place it on the stainless steel. If it is attracted to your metal plate, then it is a lower-quality material that will likely rust over time.

Are all stainless steels food-grade?

There are several types of stainless steel that are not suitable for food use. For example, martensitic stainless steel, often used for kitchen knives, can contain lead and mercury, which can contaminate food that comes into contact with the blade.

Ferritic stainless steel, on the other hand, can contain high levels of nickel, which can cause allergic reactions in some people. It is therefore important to choose a high-quality food-grade stainless steel that meets food safety standards.

⚙️ What are the advantages of food-grade stainless steel in the kitchen?

Very practical for use in your kitchen or for a small custom plancha for this summer, the 8 advantages of food-grade stainless steel will reassure you on the subject:

Stainless steel is very resistant to corrosion, shocks, heat and also has good longevity.
All the flavors of food and nutritional qualities are preserved, even in contact with a 304 L stainless steel worktop.
It is one of the most durable, reliable, and versatile metals on the market. That is why it has become a staple in professional kitchens and increasingly in homes.
Compared to other so-called "food-safe" surfaces like plastic, stainless steel does not transmit any toxic emissions, even at high temperatures. Therefore, it is not dangerous for health, even in the long term.
It is not necessary to apply a corrosion treatment to it.
304L stainless steel is easy to weld to create many food uses such as barbecues, planchas, backsplashes, and worktops...
Stainless steel is 100% recyclable, so some objects are made from already recycled stainless steel.
The maintenance of stainless steel is very easy. A simple wipe with a damp sponge and a little dish soap is enough to make your stainless steel sheet look like new.

If you need advice on cleaning a stainless steel sheet, you can refer to the following article:

Now that you know everything about food-grade stainless steel, get your dishes ready, set, go!

Posted in: How to Make a Stainless Steel Sheet Shine? ✨

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By: Chantal On 2026-02-18

Bonjour, j'ai une credence en inox brossé. Celle-ci a été rayée par une éponge de vaisselle. Quel produit pouvez vous me conseiller,pour tenter d'effacer les rayures. Merci

Replied by: John Steel On 2026-02-18 Bonjour,

Malheureusement, il n'existe pas de produit qui permette d'effacer les rayures sur les crédences en inox brossé. Les solutions sont peu nombreuses, vous pouvez :

Acheter une nouvelle crédence, si la taille de la rayure est conséquente ;
OU
Faire poncer votre crédence.

Bonne journée,
Lucas - John Steel
By: Isabelle On 2023-01-24

Bonjour, nous souhaitons une crédence en inox pour notre nouvelle cuisine. Comment doit-on la coller sur la paroi ? Et livrez-vous en Belgique ? Merci

Replied by: John Steel On 2023-01-25 Bonjour,
Je vous remercie pour votre commentaire.

La crédence se colle avec une colle à mastic.
Dans le cas d'une commande de crédence, nous en fournissons un.

Ensuite, il faut appliquer des plots de colles tous les 15 cms environ.
C'est plus efficace que le traditionnel serpentin.

Et oui, nous livrons en Belgique, sans surcoût.

Cordialement,
Brigitee
By: Philippe On 2022-08-22

Bonjour, je cherche une plaque d'inox alimentaire de 2000*400 mm, sur Albertville... possible ?

Replied by: John Steel On 2022-08-23 Bonjour Philippe,

oui, c'est possible.
Vous pouvez commander via notre site directement, le prix s'affiche lorsque vous rentrez les dimensions.

Voici le lien : https://www.john-steel.com/fr/
Si besoin, vous pouvez contacter notre sav qui peux vous aider à commander via ce lien : https://www.john-steel.com/fr/nous-contacter

En vous souhaitant une bonne journée,
Brigitte
By: Gaetan lussier On 2021-06-27

Je voudrais savoir si c'est possible d'avoir une plaque d'acier pour mettre sur mon bbq qui mesure 60 pouces par 28 pouces avec les rebords pliés pour retenir les graisses.
Merci.

Replied by: John Steel On 2021-07-07 Bonjour Gaëtan,
Je vois tout à fait ce que vous voulez faire et c'est une bonne idée . Sur le principe, tout est possible de faire grâce à notre configurateur. Il est tout à fait faisable de découper une plaque d'acier pour votre barbecue car la découpe sur-mesure, c'est notre spécialité ! Mas pour votre réalisation le mieux est d'utiliser une plaque d'inox 304L (https://www.john-steel.com/fr/inox/14-plaque-inox-304l-brut.html). Concernant les rebords pour retenir les graisses, malheureusement, nous ne proposons pas de pliage parmi nos services.
Bon bricolage et surtout bon barbecue,
John
By: Forest On 2021-06-18

bj
renfort de bac de cabine de douche antidérapant
de 80 sur 80

Replied by: John Steel On 2021-06-25 Bonjour,
Pour nous permettre de vous apporter une réponse la plus juste possible, n'hésitez pas à prendre contact avec notre SteelTeam par mail : contact@john-steel.com
Bon bricolage,
John

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304L Stainless Steel: Why Is It Food-Safe?

⚙️ What are the different types of stainless steel?

⚙️ Why "Stainless Steel 304L"?

How to recognize food-grade stainless steel

Are all stainless steels food-grade?

⚙️ What are the advantages of food-grade stainless steel in the kitchen?

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