This 3-A Accepted Practice applies to the sanitary aspects of equipment necessary for membrane processing of products. The unit operations of the Membrane Processing Systems include the following: ultrafiltration, diafiltration, microfiltration, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis. Product enters the inlet to the supply tank which delivers the product to the membrane equipment and, when diafiltration is used, at the outlet of the nearest valve which delivers water for diafiltration. The product exits at the connections on the membrane equipment where concentrate and permeate leave the membrane equipment for storage or further processing.

This 3-A Accepted Practice does not cover materials and fabrication of membrane modules. Membrane modules are covered under 3-A Sanitary Standard, 45-.

To conform to this 3-A Accepted Practice, membrane processing systems shall conform to the following criteria for design, materials of construction, fabrication techniques and installation, as applicable, and the current revisions or editions of all referenced documents cited herein.