This 3-A Sanitary Standard defines the general requirements for sanitary (hygienic) equipment intended for processing milk, milk products, foods, food ingredients, beverages, or other edible materials.

To conform to the 3-A Sanitary Standards, equipment shall meet the following criteria for design, material of construction, fabrication techniques, and installation, as applicable. In addition, equipment shall meet the criteria defined in the corresponding 3-A Sanitary Standards for the specific equipment type.