Lubrication is the foundation of efficient production and reduced downtime, used in every industry but, in the food industry, the use of H1 lubricants is of paramount importance. Worryingly there are still some food manufacturers that haven’t made the important change from traditional oils and greases to food-grade lubricants.
To ensure food safety standards, the use of high-quality, H1 lubricants with the appropriate quality declarations is advised. Better still to avoid the contamination risk of H1 and non-H1 lubricants, we advise sites to be completely food grade. This helps companies excel in their audits and makes good business sense ensuring consumer safety and brand protection. Global food producers should also ensure that their lubricant suppliers have ISO 21469 certified production plants.
There’s however, a misconception that a food-grade lubricant compromises performance - after all, they don’t contain the same substances and additives as industrial oils and greases that provide excellent lubrication, so how can they possibly work as well as conventional industrial products?
The good news for maintenance managers is that the newest lubricants designed for use in food and beverage facilities are capable of doing all the things that a conventional industrial lubricant does. Technical advances in the industry show that H1 lubricants can deliver the same or better performance than conventional industrial gear oils and can be used safely on machinery components such as pumps, mixers, gearboxes, chain drives and conveyor belts. Even at higher temperatures or loads and in wash-down environments, the appropriate NSF H1 lubricant will still reduce friction and wear, protect against corrosion, dissipate heat and have a sealing effect.
