Palm oil producers are increasingly gaining the attention from many palm oil users on the potential contamination of the palm oil during its extraction and manufacture. One of the many potential source of contaminations is the lubricants used in lubricating machines in the extraction and processing of palm oil. Even small traces of these mineral oil hydrocarbons in food, so-called MOSH / MOAH contamination, can potentially cause an adverse effect on human health. Leading food manufacturers are therefore increasingly pushing for the replacement of mineral oil-based products with H1 lubricants (food grade lubricants used in food-processing where there is the possibility of incidental food contact) in the machines and plants of all production steps involved in processing palm oil.
One way in which traces of mineral oils such as chemical compounds MOSH (mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons) and MOAH (mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons) can enter the food chain is through the production process and the process aids used, including lubricants selected for the production of food and food packaging. Therefore, to address the issue of food safety and contamination risk, the need for high quality, H1 lubricants are necessary.
As a manufacturer of specialty lubricants, food safety has long been a focus for Klüber Lubrication. The tribology expert has developed numerous lubricants that meet the highest hygiene standards. Klüber Lubrication’s H1 lubricants are in compliance with 21 CFR 178.3570 issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That means they are designed for incidental contact with food product. In case of unavoidable food contact, according to FDA regulations, the amount of lubricant in food must not exceed 1 ppm for silicone oils and 10 ppm for all other base oils. Very small quantities of modern, innovative high-performance lubricants are sufficient to achieve the desired lubricating effect and thus reduces the risk of contamination.
