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What does the increasing focus on food safety mean for these lubricants?
Zhe food and beverages industry is being shaped by a growing global population. In today's world, transnational companies have manufacturing operations that are spread across the world. It is, thus, not surprising that food supply chains and food manufacturing processes have become increasingly complex. The stringency of government regulations concerning food safety, coupled with the imperative of strict penalties for noncompliance, have added to the complexity of maintaining these conditions across the supply chain.
Food-grade lubricants represent one of the ways food safety is ensured. These lubricants are categorized as industrial lubricants that are considered safe for incidental contact with food and other products consumed or ingested by human beings or animals when these lubricants are utilized in equipment or machinery that is used to manufacture, pack, treat, process or transport these products.
Here, we explain what we mean by the previous italicized terminology in our definition of a food-grade lubricant.
* Industrial lubricants. The term "food grade" causes confusion; it does not signify that these lubricants are made of edible material. Rather, food-grade lubricants are just like any other industrial lubricant in that they are comprised of base stocks (mineral or synthetic petroleum) and additives.
* Incidental contact. Ideally, these lubricants should not come into contact with food or other consumable products. In the case of incidental contact, however, health risks will be significantly mitigated if "food-grade" lubricants, i.e., lubricants that meet National Science Foundation (NSF) guidelines, are used.
* Food and other products. The use of food-grade lubricants began with the food processing industry, but over the years, with growing awareness of healthier lifestyles, its use expanded to include pharmaceuticals, personal care products and animal feed manufacturing.
* Equipment or machinery. The primary reason for using food-grade lubricants- or any other lubricant-is to protect the internal surfaces of the machinery. Lubricants control friction, wear and corrosion. Thus, food-grade lubricants serve the dual purpose of ensuring equipment performance and food safety.
Food-grade lubricant applications
Food-grade lubricants are utilized throughout...