LUBRICANTS AND DETERGENTS FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY
Fuchs Lubrificants Denmark APS: certified lubricants and cleaners for all branches of the food & beverage industry
In the foodand beverage industry, with regard to certain industrial products used in the production process, such as lubricants and detergents, which we will consider in this article, there are very specific requirements to be met.
In fact, in the food industry, during the production process, it can be really difficult to avoid contact with the final product made, which means that lubricants and detergents must be absolutely safe to use .
Why is it important to use certified products in the food and beverage industry?
For consumer safety. End-consumer safety is paramount: hazardous contamination must not occur at all, regardless of whether lubricants are used in gearboxes, hydraulic systems or compressors.
Some of the abbreviations we can find on these kinds of products are: MOH, MOAH, MOSH, and POSH.
(We will talk specifically about this kind of nomenclature in another in-depth article that we will publish in the coming weeks.)
These kinds of products usually are a mix of chemical compounds and compounds of animal origin. Some packaging materials, such as recycled cardboard, unlike what we would be led to think for sustainability-related discourse, have also proven to be an unsuitable material, a source of contamination in food production, as mineral hydrocarbons have been observed to migrate into food.
Utmost care in all processes and stages of production, in the food industry.
This means that if food-grade lubricants and detergents are to be used, the entire chain must be considered, from production and processing to filling and packaging.
In general terms, it is important to use correct and approved products, at every stage of production, which must therefore be very scrupulous.
As the years go by, the need to increase safety regarding the entire production process of the food & beverage industry grows more and more; in fact, there are countless and continuously increasing requests and confirmations from manufacturers, regarding certifications and product safety.
Today, even cardboard and bottle manufacturers , are required to use products with suitable labels and certificates (such as NSF and ISO 21469).
The organization Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) has established food standards such as BRCGS, FSSC 22000 and IFS. GFSI acts as an industry organization that coordinates requirements on safety standards so that, as consumers, we can always be sure that what we and our animals eat is safe.
The actual certification, which ensures that food, feed and packaging materials are manufactured in line with the prevailing standards, is carried out by each certification body.
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) of the United States is the world leader in food safety product certification and has the most stringent safety standards worldwide for food-grade lubricants. Here the NSF has the power to assign their certificate (or seal) and codes to approved production facilities and products that can be used in food and beverage production.
Each code reveals where a product is to be used in the production process. It is therefore critical to know the different codes to ensure that products are used in exactly the right place and at exactly the right time.
Without going into the specifics of each certification and product in this article, all FUCHS CASSIDA and RIVOLTA product lines have been specially developed to meet the most stringent safety standards of the food and beverage industry. In addition, kosher and halal certificates ensure that the lubricants meet stringent cleanliness and sanitation requirements even with regard to, for example, Islamic and Jewish food laws.
Not only that, FUCHS manufactures lubricants and cleaners in ISO 21469-certified factories.: this also applies to sprays and single-point lubricators.
Each production unit has different operating environments and machinery, which ensures that FUCHS, as a company, is able to supply a wide range of products including oils, greases, coolants, and detergents . Frozen food production, for example, requires special oils and greases for chains that can withstand extremely low temperatures, while chains in a “bakery” will be exposed to temperatures of up to 300°C. Similar differences are also found in the
Safety and compliance with food standards with FUCHS
Here are some examples of certifications that we might find in the Food & Beverage industry:
These kinds of certifications and seals, will be discussed in more detail in a future article, because this is a very complex topic that deserves to be dealt with separately, in a separate article.
In any case, one thing is certain: if you need lubricants and cleaners for gearboxes, hydraulic systems, compressors or anything else in food and beverage production, FUCHS is the right choice. Whatever your branch of production, FUCHS as a company guarantees safety and compliance with the standards required by the relevant bodies.
FUCHS is synonymous with guarantees and safety and is also one of the very few companies authorized to use the rigorous ISO 21469 mark.
We at UTR are happy to help you choose the best FUCHS product and to support you in your industrial production project, as it relates to the food and beverage sector.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for any free information or advice, that’s what we are here for.
