Sanitary pumps are built for industries where product purity, hygiene and cleanability are essential, including food and beverage manufacturing, dairy processing, wineries, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Unlike standard industrial pumps, sanitary pumps are manufactured from stainless steel (typically 316 or 316L grade) with smooth internal surfaces and minimal dead legs to reduce the risk of product build up and bacterial growth. Most are compatible with CIP (clean-in-place) and SIP (steam-in-place) washdown, helping manufacturers maintain hygiene standards while reducing downtime.
Global Pumps supplies sanitary pumps across six technologies: lobe, diaphragm, peristaltic, drum, twin screw and centrifugal. Available in stainless steel, with trolley-mounted options for pumps that need to move between production areas, each pump technology is suited to different fluids, viscosities and operating conditions.
Certification varies by range. Packo lobe pumps and Verderair diaphragm pumps are certified to EC 1935/2004 and FDA (with EX and EAC on select models), while the Packo ZS hygienic twin screw range also carries 3-A certification. Refer to each product page for the exact certification applicable to your chosen model.
A quick comparison to help you land on the right pump type before you dig into specs.
Figures below are the headline max specs for the flagship model in each range. Several ranges include multiple models/sizes — use these as a guide and confirm exact figures for your application via the product page or contact the Global Pumps team.
| Pump type | Model range | Best for | Key benefit | Max flow | Max pressure / head | Max viscosity | Max temp | View range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanitary lobe pump | Packo ZW / ZL | Viscous, shear-sensitive or particulate-heavy products — sauces, purees, wine and juice with skins & stems | Gentle handling, fully reversible flow, quick strip-down for cleaning | Up to 100 m³/hr | Up to 20 bar | Up to 1,000,000 cP | Up to 150 °C | Lobe pumps → |
| Sanitary diaphragm pump | Verderair HC-PURE | Delicate or abrasive liquids, dry-run and self-priming applications | No mechanical seals in the product path — safe to run dry | Up to 650 L/min | Up to 7 bar | Not published — enquire | Up to 90 °C | Hygienic diaphragm pump → |
| Sanitary peristaltic pump | Verderflex hose & tube | Shear-sensitive or abrasive slurries (hose); precision dosing (tube) | Only the hose/tube touches the product — nothing else to contaminate | Hose: up to 90 m³/hr Tube: up to 6.6 L/min | Up to 16 bar (hose) / 7 bar (tube) | Up to 70% solids (hose) | Up to 70 °C (tube) | Peristaltic hose pumps → Tube pumps → |
| Sanitary drum pump | Techniflo electric | Decanting and transferring from drums, IBCs and totes | Portable, quick to deploy, minimal cross-contamination risk | Up to 112 L/min | Up to 37 m head | Up to 1,000 cP | Not published — enquire | Drum pumps → |
| Sanitary centrifugal pump | Packo FP2 | High-flow, low-viscosity transfer — milk, juice, wine, water-based product | High flow rates, continuous duty, simple maintenance | Up to 110 m³/hr | Up to 220 m head | Up to 1,000 cP | Up to 90 °C | Packo centrifugal range → |
| Hygienic twin screw pump | Packo ZS series | Products needing both high flow and gentle handling — fruit pieces, thick dairy, viscous product with solids — plus CIP in the same pump | The only pump on this list combining rotary lobe and centrifugal technology in one design — certified 3-A & EC 1935/2004 | Up to 270 L/min | Up to 12 bar | Up to 1,000,000 cP | Up to 150 °C | Hygienic twin screw pumps → |
Not sure which fits your process? Talk to the Global Pumps team →
Choose a sanitary lobe pump when product needs to move gently. The rotary lobe design avoids the shearing and pulsation that damages delicate product — including sauces, purees, dairy bases, or wine and juice carrying skins and stems. The pump head strips down fast for full CIP or manual cleaning.
Global Pumps supplies the Packo sanitary lobe pump range, which includes two options: the ZW series, featuring soft rubber heli-lobe rotors for gentle, particle-friendly transfer (up to 50 m³/hr, certified FDA/EX/EAC), and the higher-capacity ZL series (up to 100 m³/hr, 150 °C, certified EC 1935/2004/FDA/USP/EX/EAC) for more demanding applications. Both ranges can handle viscosities of up to 1,000,000 cP.
Choose a diaphragm pump when you need dry-run protection and self-priming, or when the liquid is abrasive or particulate-heavy. There are no mechanical shaft seals in the product path, so it copes well with variable or intermittent flow.
Our Verderair HC-PURE range comes in two configurations: FD Series for hygiene at the start of the process, and SB Series for final-stage product protection. Both are electropolished 316L stainless steel, flow up to 650 L/min at up to 7 bar, and are certified to EC 1935/2004 and FDA.
View our Hygienic Diaphragm Pump range →
Choose a peristaltic pump when nothing but the hose or tube can touch the product. With no valves, seals or rotors in the fluid path, sanitary peristaltic pumps are ideal for shear-sensitive, abrasive and high-solids products where contamination must be minimised. Servicing is simple, too — most models only need the hose replaced.
View our Peristaltic Hose Pump range → · View our Tube Pump range →
Choose a drum pump for decanting or emptying drums and IBCs without the risk of cross-contaminating between batches. Stainless steel construction makes them suitable for food-grade liquids, concentrates, and cleaning chemicals alike — and they're portable enough to deploy wherever you need them.
Choose a centrifugal pump when you need to move large volumes of low-viscosity product quickly — milk, juice, wine, or water-based liquids. A stainless steel centrifugal pump - like our Packo FP2 range - provides efficient continuous-dry performance, hygienic construction and simple maintenance. making it a popular choice for food, beverage and dairy processing.
View the Packo Centrifugal Pump range →
The Packo ZS Series is the only pump on this page that combines rotary lobe and centrifugal technology in one design. It handles everything from thin cleaning fluids to thick, viscous product, without pulsation — so you can run product transfer and CIP through the same pump instead of switching between two.
Choose it when your product needs to move at volume but can't tolerate the shear a standard centrifugal pump would cause — fruit pieces, thick dairy, or viscous product carrying solids. The ZS Series is certified to 3-A and EC 1935/2004.
View the Hygienic Twin Screw Pump range →
Many production environments need pumps that can move — between tanks, batches, or production lines — without a fixed installation. Most of our sanitary pump ranges (lobe, diaphragm, and drum) are available trolley-mounted, giving you a self-contained, wash-down-ready unit you can wheel wherever it's needed.
Sanitary pumps are widely used wherever hygiene, cleanability and product quality are critical. Global Pumps supplies sanitary pumping solutions for:
Read more on hose-based hygienic transfer in our guide: Sanitary Peristaltic Hose Pumps →
What makes a pump ‘sanitary’?
A sanitary (or hygienic) pump is built from stainless steel — usually 316 or 316L grade — with smooth internal surfaces, minimal dead legs, and hygienic seals designed to prevent product build-up. Most are compatible with CIP/SIP cleaning processes used in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical production.
What's the difference between a sanitary pump and a standard industrial pump?
Standard industrial pumps prioritise cost and durability for general fluid transfer, often using cast iron or mixed materials. Sanitary pumps are built specifically for cleanability and product purity, using food-grade stainless steel and designs that avoid areas where product can collect and harbour bacteria.
What is the difference between a sanitary centrifugal pump and a sanitary lobe pump?
Sanitary centrifugal pumps are designed for high-flow transfer of low-viscosity liquids. Sanitary lobe pumps provide gentler product handling and are better suited to viscous, shear-sensitive or particulate-containing products.
Which sanitary pump is best for food processing?
The best sanitary pump depends on the product being transferred. Sanitary centrifugal pumps are ideal for high-volume, low-viscosity liquids, while lobe pumps and diaphragm pumps are better suited to viscous or shear-sensitive products. Global Pumps can recommend the most suitable technology for your application.
Can sanitary pumps be cleaned in place (CIP)?
Many sanitary pump designs are CIP/SIP compatible, allowing cleaning solutions to be circulated through the pump without disassembly. Compatibility depends on the specific model and seal configuration — check with the Global Pumps team for your application.
Are trolley-mounted sanitary pumps available?
Yes — most lobe, diaphragm, and peristaltic pump ranges are available on a trolley-mounted chassis for easy movement between production areas.
Are sanitary pumps made from stainless steel?
Yes. Most sanitary pumps are manufactured from 316 or 316L stainless steel because of its corrosion resistance, hygiene properties and suitability for CIP and SIP cleaning processes. The grade can vary by model — confirm the spec sheet for the exact range you're considering.
What is a hygienic twin screw pump?
A hygienic twin screw pump combines rotary lobe and centrifugal pump technology in one design. It handles both thin, low-viscosity fluids and thick, high-viscosity product without pulsation, and can run product transfer and CIP cleaning through the same pump — reducing the need for separate equipment.
What industries use sanitary pumps?
Sanitary pumps are commonly used in food and beverage manufacturing, dairy processing, wineries, breweries, pharmaceutical production and cosmetics manufacturing where hygienic product handling is essential.
