For operations in Mississauga that deal with food production, handling, or packing, food safety is critical. Every component used within food and beverage machinery has a chance of coming into contact with food, which means chemical contamination from machine lubricants is a major concern for any food-based operation. For these operations, food-grade lubrication is essential.
However, food-grade lubricants, which are classified as H1 lubricants, come with their own challenges. As experts in oil, lubricants, and coolants, Monarch Oil in Mississauga has the expertise necessary to help you overcome these challenges. Read on for our primer on these challenges and how you can overcome them.
Performance Limitations
The chemical composition of food-grade lubricants, which is designed to make them safe, can have an adverse effect on the components of the machinery involved, causing corrosion and reducing resistance to wear and tear.
It can be tricky to properly balance optimal performance with adherence to all the food safety regulations in place. Finding a high-quality lubricant is key here, allowing you to operate while still maintaining high safety standards.
Extreme Temperatures
The food and beverage industry operates in some of the most extreme temperatures, from freezers to ovens. While these temperatures are necessary for processing food products, they can cause big problems if you aren’t choosing the correct lubricant.
Higher temperatures can cause lubricants to degrade faster and lower their viscosity, which makes them more susceptible to leaking. For higher temperature environments, shorter intervals between relubrication are necessary.
Meanwhile, colder temperatures can increase the viscosity of the lubricant. This makes the lubricant thicker and limits its effectiveness.
To overcome these temperature challenges, make sure you select the right food-grade lubricant for the job. For example, Petro-Canada’s Purity FG Synthetic lubricants are specifically formulated for use in extreme temperatures. There are many different options available, you just need to find the one that works best for you.
Environmental Impact
Due to the strict compositional requirements, food-grade lubricants are not generally very biodegradable or environmentally friendly. Any given food-grade lubricant may or may not be biodegradable, as the definition of “food-grade lubricants” does not include any requirements for being biodegradable or environmentally friendly.
However, as these lubricants are not typically released into the environment after use, their risk of pollution is quite low.
With the wide range of food-grade lubricants out there, you can find products that are more environmentally friendly than others.
Continually Updating Standards
Food safety standards are always changing, even slightly. Significant incidents drive standards and regulations to become more comprehensive and more complex. Any food-based operation needs to adhere to the highest safety standards.
Make sure you keep up to date with any food-safe standards that are relevant to your business and provide training for your employees as needed.
Conclusions
Food-grade lubricants are necessary for any operation that involves food and machinery. While there are many challenges that are unique to the industry, none of them are insurmountable.
For more information on products that are right for you, Monarch Oil provides Mississauga with a wide selection of products that can add value and productivity to your operation. Just give us a call today and place your order.
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