. . . be sure and safe

Food contact


Hydrocarbons that come into contact with food must fulfil certain requirements to ensure that they do not pose a health risk. These requirements vary by country and regulatory authorities, but there are some general criteria that often apply:


Food safety: the hydrocarbon must be food safe. This means that it must not release any toxic substances that could migrate into the food.

Resistance and inertness: The hydrocarbon should be chemically inert, i.e. it should not react with the food or decompose under the conditions to which it is exposed.

Odour and taste neutrality: It must not have any inherent odour or taste that could be transferred to the food.

Compliance with legal regulations: It must comply with the legal regulations of the country in which the product is used. This includes authorisations by food safety authorities such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in the European Union or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.

Migration tests: The hydrocarbon must pass migration tests to ensure that no hazardous amounts of chemicals are transferred from the material into the food. Currently, viscosity and C-chain length are a requirement for the use of mineral white oils products.

Purity: The hydrocarbon must have a high degree of purity to prevent the accumulation of impurities that could migrate into food. The use of products which fill pharmaceutical purity requirements is an important parameter.

Conformity with specific standards: Specific standards or certifications may be required for certain applications, such as direct food contact or use in sensitive environments (such as baby food).

Traceability and documentation: The origin and processing of the hydrocarbon should be documented and traceable to ensure compliance and quality assurance.


Examples of relevant regulations include:

European Union (EU):
Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. This regulation defines specific migration limits and test conditions for materials that come into contact with food.
Directive 1935/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 October 2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. This directive defines the basic requirements for all materials used in contact with food.

United States:
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 21, specifically Section 21 CFR 175-178, which contains standards and regulations for substances used in food contact materials.

Germany:
Lebensmittel-, Bedarfsgegenstände- und Futtermittelgesetzbuch (LFGB), which regulates the safety and harmlessness of products that come into contact with food.


Food contact lubricants

Lubricants used in food contact areas are subject to strict regulations to ensure safety and harmlessness for consumers. These lubricants are often referred to as "NSF H1" lubricants, which is a classification of the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Here are some important aspects of regulation for such lubricants:

NSF H1 certification:
This certification is required for lubricants used in machinery and equipment that may come into direct contact with food.

An H1-certified lubricant must be considered "food grade," which means that it does not pose a health hazard if accidentally contaminated at levels of no more than 10 parts per million (ppm).

Ingredients:
Lubricant ingredients must comply with regulations and be safe to use. Substances that are classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic are generally not permitted.

Labelling and documentation:
Products must be clearly labelled to avoid confusion. In addition, safety data sheets and product information are required to provide information on the composition and safe use of the lubricant.

Migration limits:
Similar to other materials that come into contact with food, lubricants must only migrate into the food in very small quantities so as not to exceed the MRLs (Maximum Residue Limits).

Regulations in different countries:
In addition to the NSF standards, additional or deviating regulations may apply in various countries. In the EU, for example, there is Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004, which sets out general requirements for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.