Valve

A hygienic valve suitable for controlling flow of food containing fluids comprising,

• a housing having an enclosed internal cavity for holding the food containing fluids,
• an aperture formed in a wall of the housing providing communication with the enclosed internal cavity,
• a valve seat surrounding the aperture,
• an expandable valve member mounted within the housing the expandable valve member having a hollow interior surrounded by a side wall of the expandable valve member, the hollow interior being sealed against communication with the enclosed internal cavity, the side wall and hollow interior extending through a portion of the internal cavity clear of the housing where it terminates in an end wall, and
• a port communicating with the hollow interior,
• wherein the construction and mounting of the expandable valve member and housing are such that the internal cavity of the housing may be evacuated to provide a region of sub-atmospheric pressure around the expandable valve member whereby the application of atmospheric pressure through the port can act to expand the expandable valve member to bring the end wall into sealing engagement with the valve seat, the expandable valve member resiliently contracting to open the hygienic valve by moving the end wall out of sealing engagement with the valve seat when air pressure in the internal cavity and hollow interior are the same and the valve seat is arranged to allow drainage of the food containing fluids from the enclosed internal cavity when the hygienic valve is open.