.png)
Chef’s AI-enabled robots are designed to handle food safely, work alongside people, and fit into the sanitation processes food manufacturers already use. From NSF-certified hardware and removable food-handling components to collaborative robot arms and safety-rated controls, safety is built into every layer of the Chef robots.
Why does food safety matter in meal assembly automation?
Food manufacturers need automation that can handle ingredients without introducing new sanitation challenges. Equipment needs to be made of food-safe materials, minimize contamination risk, and be easy for sanitation teams to inspect and clean.
What makes Chef robots food-safe?
Chef robots minimize the number of surfaces that directly touch food. When a food manufacturer runs meal assembly with our robots, only two parts of the robots come into contact with food ingredients:
- Chef’s proprietary interchangeable utensils that pick and place each food ingredient. These are easily removable without tools.
- The industry-standard stainless-steel hotel pans that hold the ingredients
NSF-certified for food safety
Chef robots are designed specifically for food production environments. Chef’s robotic module C-001748 is certified under NSF/ANSI 169 — Special Purpose Food Equipment and Devices. This certification confirms that the module meets strict requirements for food safety and cleanability.
The NSF certification covers the design, materials, construction, and performance of food equipment. For manufacturers, it provides added confidence that Chef robots can safely and hygienically pick and place ingredients on production lines.
Food-safe utensils
Chef utensils are made from food-grade materials, including 306 stainless steel, titanium, and food-grade blue Delrin.
This controlled food-contact design makes it easy to track equipment hygiene and support allergen control in food manufacturing during changeovers. Chef robots also reduce human touchpoints on the production line, lowering the overall risk of contamination and making food-handling processes more consistent and predictable.
We’ve also developed food-safe utensils for newer capabilities. Our piece-picking solution uses a food-safe, vacuum-powered utensil to lift individual products such as burger patties, chicken breasts, and baked goods. Our pat-down utensil features a cleanable, rounded-edge design for spreading ingredients inside meal trays.
Splash zone
The rest of the system is in the splash zone and is designed for easy cleaning per NSF guidelines. For example, the robot arm is enclosed in a food-safe protective suit, while the other components use sanitation-friendly materials.
Why are Chef robots easy to sanitize?
Chef robots are designed to make cleaning and changeovers extremely straightforward. Their food-handling components are removable, accessible, and compatible with standard food-production sanitation protocols.
Tool-free utensil removal simplifies cleaning
Line workers can easily remove utensils without any tools and swap them out for another type in less than a minute. Manufacturers can clean Chef’s utensils and hotel pans in industrial dishwashers just like other food-production equipment.
Designed for visibility, drainage, and access
Chef robots have an IP67-rated design, protecting their enclosed components from dust and water exposure and making them easy to clean, like other equipment on the production floor. Additional cleanability features include:
- Built with food-safe materials like 306 stainless steel
- Angled surfaces to prevent water pooling
- Sanitary welds
- An open angle-iron frame
- Removable scale plates
- Built-in cleaning gaps with stand-offs and no “sandwiches”
In addition to the system already being easy to clean, Chef also provides food manufacturers with a documented sanitation procedure for our robots, ensuring a fast and effective cleaning process that supports frequent SKU and ingredient changeovers.
Contact us to learn how Chef’s AI-enabled robots can support safe, sanitary, and efficient meal assembly in your facility.
