3-A Sanitary Standards Inc. (3-A SSI) has opened applications for five expert working groups that will update key sanitary equipment design standards used across the U.S. dairy and food processing industries. The working groups are scheduled to launch May 11, 2026. Applications for participation will close April 27.

According to 3-A SSI, the initiative is intended to incorporate input from professionals who design, manufacture, use, and regulate sanitary equipment. The projects were structured with defined scopes, administrative support, and targeted publication timelines to facilitate participation from technical experts.

Each working group will include a minimum of nine voting members across three stakeholder categories, balanced to ensure the standards reflect practical application across manufacturing, operations, and regulatory oversight:

• Fabricators, representing equipment manufacturers and ensuring standards reflect current manufacturing practices and technological capabilities
• Users/Processors, providing input on facility design, sanitation requirements, and operational considerations
• Regulatory Sanitarians, contributing inspection, compliance, and enforcement perspectives.

The five working groups will update four existing 3-A Sanitary Standards and one Accepted Practice:

• Silo-Type Tanks (22-08)
• Non-Coil Type Batch Processors (25-03)
• Disc-Type Valves (57-02)
• Mechanical Conveyors for Dry Products (41-03)
• Supplying Air Under Pressure (604-05).

3-A SSI indicated that several of the projects will build on prior draft work, with a target publication date of December 2026.

3-A SSI will host a free virtual information session for prospective volunteers on April 17 at 1:00 P.M. ET. Subject matter experts may register for the session and apply for working group participation through the organization’s online portal.