April 2019

29 www.drivesncontrols.com April 2019 FOOD AND BEVERAGE n Food-safe lubricants: how to avoid recalls O n average, the direct cost of a product recall to a food and drink manufacturer is around $10m. This does not include losses that cannot be measured easily, such as those caused by delayed orders, inventory losses and any profit reduction caused by reputational damage. Following a recall, manufacturers need to assemble a crisis team, remove the product from retailers’shelves, investigate the cause and, of course, manage the media. Late last year, the European Food Safety Authority identified an outbreak of listeria. Due to the high-risk nature of listeria, consumers were advised to return the affected products immediately to retailers, supermarkets had to remove dozens of items from their shelves, while production was halted in the factories affected. Not all recalls are caused by breaches in health and safety while processing foods. In fact, some manufacturers may be entirely unaware they are putting their consumers at risk through chemical contamination. According to data from Australia’s Food Standards Agency, chemical contaminants and biotoxins accounted for 55% of product recalls between 2008 and 2017. A potential cause this this contamination is contact with unsafe lubricants used in machinery. Back in 2000, tests of a Heinz baby food product revealed it contained a toxic substance. Further tests clarified that the food had been contaminated with a mineral oil lubricant during the manufacturing process. But this was almost two decades ago, and a lot has changed regarding regulations and legal requirements since then. Lubricants used in food-processing machinery must be formulated to be innocuous in taste and odour, and should not pose any kind of health risk to consumers should contamination occur. Currently though, there are no pan-European regulations for the formulation of lubricants used in food-processing facilities. However, most lubricant manufacturers abide by rules set by the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which lists acceptable lubricant components in its Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) . There are now classifications for food- grade lubricants, including the H1 and H2 standards set by public health and safety organisation, NSF International. H1 lubricants are greases that be used in applications where accidental food contact may occur but would be limited to trace amounts. This is the classification usually chosen when opting for a “food-grade” grease. These lubricants can only contain certain bases and thickeners pre-defined in the FDA’s regulations. H2 lubricants, on the other hand, can be used in food-processing facilities only if there is no possibility of contact with food products. While they should not encounter consumable products, their ingredients are still heavily restricted. These lubricants cannot contain any carcinogens, mineral acids or intentionally heavy metals. Choosing a H1 or H2 lubricant depends on the application. For example, if the lubrication will be used in a sealed bearing, which should have no direct contact with food, a H2 lubricant could suffice. Some bearings manufacturers offer re-lubrication services to clean and refill bearings for the food and beverage industry to ensure that they contain the right grease for the job. Stainless-steel ball bearings, for example, can be supplied with either H1 or H2 non-toxic lubricants. Food manufacturing can create a harsh environment for lubricants and greases, and this should also be considered when choosing H1 or H2 lubricants. The lubricant will need to withstand the ingress of water and steam cleaning, not to mention the cleaning chemicals often used in food manufacturing. In these instances, it is advisable to speak to an expert in food-grade bearings and lubricants before simply opting for an H1 grease. Bearings may seem like a small consideration when you consider the issue of food recalls, but the message is clear. When manufacturing food and beverages, every component in the facility should be chosen to create a risk-free manufacturing environment. This includes the smallest parts, including every bearing and its lubricant. While not all product recalls can be anticipated or avoided, investing in food-safe lubricants for machinery and bearings is a small price to pay to avoid the potential financial turmoil of contamination. n Recalls resulting from contamination can cost food manufacturers many millions of pounds. Chris Johnson, managing director of the food-grade bearing supplier, SMB Bearings, explains the importance of food-safe lubricants in food-processing equipment. Lubricants used in food-processing machinery need to withstand the ingress of water and steam cleaning, as well as cleaning chemicals