Glass guide: glass for food display systems

What are food display systems for? It's not a trick question. The point is that they're not only there to display the food. They're also there to protect it from sneezes and diseases.

This dual function is reflected in the materials these products are made of. They're typically plastic or stainless steel – hard-wearing materials that are easy to clean. Meanwhile, the display element is often covered by toughened glass.

We say toughened glass deliberately. Not any old glass will do. Toughened glass ticks all the boxes by being durable, protective and easy to maintain.

What food display systems use toughened glass?

A variety of food display systems use toughened glass. These include countertop cabinets, display cases, sneeze guards, glass shelves and modular food counters. Toughened glass can be used to display and protect both hot and cold food.

Why use toughened glass?

Not all food display systems use toughened glass. Some go for acrylic or annealed glass. In our view, these are inferior materials – and it's all because of how toughened glass is manufactured.

Toughened glass is made by placing a sheet of annealed glass in a furnace and heating it at around 650°C (1,200°F). Once taken from the furnace, it's blasted with cold air.

This does something special to the glass. It takes a lot of strength to break a piece of toughened glass – up to five times as much as a sheet of annealed glass of a similar thickness. But when it breaks, it breaks into a shower of smithereens rather than nasty jagged shards.