The so-called food-grade lubricant, that is, when the content of harmful substances in the lubricant does not exceed 10 mg per kilogram of the food in question, and will not cause any harm to the human body or affect the smell and taste of the food, we call it a food-grade lubricant.
Food grade lubricants are lubricants formulated with special base oils and additives, such as H-1 grade lubricants approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) and international NSF certification.
Classification
The so-called food-grade lubricants are classified according to their uses, meet food hygiene requirements, and can be used in processing machinery in food and medicine industries. According to food hygiene requirements, they can be divided into three categories:
USDA H-1 level (lubricant occasionally in contact with food)
USDAH-2 level (lubricant not in contact with food)
USDA 3-H (can be in direct contact with food)
H-1 grade lubricants: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines H-1 grade lubricants as: "Used in food production, production, packaging, processing, transportation, storage and other machinery and equipment, with accidental and Food contact opportunities, but safe and harmless lubricants. It is formulated with one or several base oils (such as white oil, poly-α -Olefins, esters, polyols or silicone oils) and additives containing calcium, phosphorus, silicon or sulfur."
Food-grade lubricants must first have excellent lubricating properties, and secondly, they must meet the requirements of relevant food safety regulations to be called food-grade lubricants. Since food-grade lubricants are formulated specifically for the working environment of food machinery, such as high/low temperature, high humidity, etc., they generally require very good oxidation resistance, high and low temperature resistance and anti-emulsification properties.
Choose
When food companies choose food-grade lubricants for food machinery, they should first analyze the extent of possible contact with food machinery lubricants, the possibility of bacterial growth, and the significance of the hazards, and find out the lubrication for different uses and different requirements For lubrication points that occasionally come into contact with food, use H1 grade food grade lubricants, and for lubrication points that do not come into contact with food, use H2 grade or industrial grade lubrication.
Food-grade lubricants are lubricants that do not pose any physiological hazards to consumers or affect the odor or taste of food even if they come into contact with food during the production process. As long as its content in food is less than 10mg/Kg, food-grade lubricants are harmless even if they are eaten. On the contrary, if the lubricant used is not a food grade lubricant, the harm can be imagined.
Faced with a wide variety of food-grade lubricant products, when choosing a food-grade lubricant, the basic factors that need to be considered: application, service life, product performance (such as oxidation resistance, thermal stability), price, etc.
the difference
The biggest difference between food-grade lubricants and ordinary lubricants is that their components, including base oils and additives, are non-toxic and harmless, and occasionally contact with food will not contaminate the food, which can ensure food hygiene and safety. For example, the base oil for formulating food-grade lubricants generally adopts hydrocracking refined mineral oil, which is characterized by relatively pure composition, relatively low sulfur and aromatic hydrocarbon components, low water content, and is not easy to be oxidized and emulsified.
In addition, the commonly used base oil is poly alpha olefin, which is a synthetic base oil with pure and single components, no sulfur and aromatic hydrocarbons, natural hydrophobic properties, temperature resistance and oxidation resistance. In order to achieve a certain lubricating performance and reduce production costs, ordinary lubricants will use some good performance but certain toxic additives. Such lubricants are not harmful to machinery and equipment, but are easy to contaminate food.
Another feature of food lubricants is that its formula is specifically designed for harsh working environments (high/low temperature, high humidity), with very good anti-oxidation, high and low temperature resistance and anti-emulsification properties, long service life, and can reduce equipment wear , Extend its life and reduce maintenance frequency.
