Advice on How to Convert Your Processing Plant to

Processing Advice on How to Convert Your Processing Plant to H1 and HT-1 Registered Food Machinery Lubricants by Peter Bird Recalls of food and beverage products due to contamination concerns have risen significantly over the last decade. Considering that recalled products can be devastating to a brand and potentially harmful to consumers, it is not surprising that the US Food Processing 2008 Annual Manufacturing Trends Survey indicated that food and beverage processors’ number one concern is food safety, more so than energy, labor issues or environmental concerns. This trend extends far beyond the United States, impacting regions all around the world. In today’s current global economic climate, food and beverage processors are under more pressure than ever to ensure the safety of their products, protect their brand reputation, enhance their com­ pany’s productivity and expand profit margins in the face of tightening economic times. One of the important areas that food and beverage processors need to focus on to help achieve a food safe and hygienic processing environment is lubrication. Using lubricants that are suitable for use in food machinery where incidental food contact may occur, NSF H1 or HT­1 registered, will not only help to minimize the potential for product recalls and maintain brand integrity, but can also enhance equipment performance thanks to ad­ vancements in lubricant chemistries. Food and beverage processing plants often have a wide variety of machinery and converting all of them to an NSF H1 or HT­1 registered lubricant can be an overwhelming task. This article outlines tips for plant managers and maintenance professionals to help streamline and simplify the conversion process within their own quality and risk management systems, such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). By itemizing your equipment, properly storing and hand­ ling the lubricant inventory, converting the equipment, and establishing a proactive oil analysis program, com­ panies will not have to compromise production goals for incorporating and improving its food quality initiatives. where cross­contamination with H1 registered lubricants can be avoided. NSF H3 registered lubricants are soluble oils that are used for rust prevention on trolleys and similar equipment; they must be removed before any contact between food and equipment. NSF HT­1 registration is specifically reserved for heat transfer oils that may have incidental food contact. As an example, there may be a potential risk that a heat transfer oil in a heating jacket could come in contact with vegetable oil used to cook chips, leading to incidental contact between oil and food. NSF HT­2 registered products should only be used in heat transfer applications where there is no chance of the lubricant or the lubricated machinery components coming into contact with food. It is important for plant managers and maintenance professionals to itemize each piece of equipment and every application and accurately assess the risk of food contamination caused potentially by the lubricant according to local HACCP planning procedures. Upon completion, maintenance pro­ fessionals should then review the list with their lubricant manufacturer or lubricants distributor to identify opportunities to select the correct lubricant, oils and greases, and also to potentially consolidate the number of necessary products and accurately access volume. For example, the SHC Cibus 46 is a high­performance NSF H1 registered food machinery lubricant that can help plant managers and maintenance professionals consolidate lubricants through its ability to provide excellent equipment protection in a wide range of applications, for example, by deliver­ ing outstanding performance in both compressors and hydraulic systems. By minimizing the number of lubricants used and only using NSF H1 and HT­1 food Marketing & Technology · June 2009 Itemize your equipment For a lubricant to achieve product registration from the National Sanita­ tion Foundation (NSF) for use in a food or beverage processing equipment, lubricant manufacturers need to sub­ mit product formulations and labels to be reviewed by a certified NSF toxicologist. The components used in the lubricant are compared against regulatory requirements including NSF’s Registration Guidelines for Proprietary Substances and Nonfood Compounds and 21 CFR. Based on the toxicologists’ analysis, a lubricant can be registered as H1, H2, H3, HT­1 or HT­2. NSF H1 registered lubricants are formulated with base oils and com­ ponents that comply with FDA 178.3570 and are suitable for applications in machinery that could potentially have “incidental contact” with the food or beverage being manufactured. Such compounds may be used on food processing equipment as a protective anti­rust film, as a release agent on gaskets or seals of tank closures, and as a lubricant for machine parts and equipment in locations where there is potential exposure of the lubricated part to food. Equipment such as baking chains, conveyors and mixers, depending on risk of exposure, may require the use of H1 registered lubri­ cants. NSF H2 registered lubricants can be used in machinery in a food and beverage processing facility where there is no possibility that the lubricant or lubricated part will come in direct or incidental contact with food. Such applications of an H2 registered lubricant can include fork lift trucks and transportation equipment that do not come in contact with the food/ beverage product or components and 42 Processing replace unused oil. Additionally, the use containers clearly marked for registered lubricants, plant managers use of personal protective equipment is the appropriate NSF H1 and HT­1 and maintenance professionals can recommended to avoid any unnecess­ registered product to avoid any con­ optimize food safety initiatives, ex­ Ad_Brian_141x197 1/22/09 8:36 AM Page 1 ary contact. tamination and avoid the need to pedite the purchasing process, simplify maintenance procedures and minimize the opportunity of improperly lubricating equipment. We could talk all day about our cereal, snack and tsp systems. Properly Store and Handle Your New Lubricants Following the proper storage and handling procedures for NSF H1 and HT­1 registered lubricants can help maintain the integrity of the product’s formulation so it can provide the anticipated performance characteristics when it’s applied to a piece of equipment. First, maintenance professionals and plant managers should thoroughly examine the lubricants upon delivery. New packaging should not be damaged, especially the package seal. Any damage to the seal could indicate that the lubricant has been potentially contaminated and should not be used. NSF HT and HT­1 registered lubricants should ideally be stored inside in a temperature­controlled (+5°C to +25°C), dry storage room and segregated from non­NSF H1 and HT­1 registered products. Each product should be properly labeled and new batches of product should not be topped off with the remainder of lubricant from another batch. It is preferred that maintenance professionals opt for drums of product to maintain stock rotation and throughput. When dispensing the product, maintenance professionals should But we’d rather talk about yours. Wenger combines the broadest lines of equipment on the market, including singleand twin-screw extruders, dryers, coolers and control systems, with a wide range of unique features and options and the technical expertise to apply them to your process requirements. So a Wenger food processing system is your Wenger food processing system – uniquely configured and expertly engineered to produce optimally for your specific application like no other. Talk to Wenger today and surround yourself with unrivaled resources for exceeding your processing goals. Brian Plattner, Food Process Engineering Manager Superior Technology. Unparalleled Service. WWW.WENGER.COM TURKEY SABETHA, KANSAS USA 785-284-2133 INFO@WENGER.COM food Marketing & Technology · June 2009 Key No. 69719 USA BELGIUM TAIWAN BRASIL CHINA 43 Processing As for disposal, food and beverage processors should take all responsible care to dispose of lubricant­related waste properly and ensure that it is disposed of in an approved manner by an authorized company. Converting the equipment to NSF H1 and HT-1 registered lubricants There are several advisory steps that need to be followed to convert a non­ NSF H1 or HT­1 registered lubricant in a piece of equipment to a NSF H1 or HT­1 registered lubricant. Each stage should be clearly documented according to HACCP planning and may vary according to the complexity of the individual equipment and maintenance procedures. Step 1: Operate the system under normal conditions until stabilized operating temperature is reached. Step 2: Drain as much oil from the system as possible. Check filters, reservoirs, etc. while the oil is still warm. Remove solid contaminants. Step 3: Replace filters. Step 4: Change the system with sufficient fresh NSF H1 or HT­1 registered oil to ensure full circulation. Step 5: Operate the system under normal condition for a minimum of one hour. If the flushing fluid shows signs of contamination from excessive solid or water contamination, through visual or used oil analysis inspection, then repeat Steps 2­5. Step 6: Fill the system with recom­ mended NSF H1 or HT­1 registered lubricant. Assume normal operation and monitor filters. Step 7: Clearly label all machinery equipment with the type of lubricant that should be used. It is recommended to flush gearbox and hydraulic systems when convert­ ing from conventional mineral oil to NSF H1 registered lubricants. For systems containing large complicated internal structures, systems with heavily aged lubricants or lubricants with the presence of significant levels of unwanted heavy metals, additional flushing and oil analysis may be required to achieve adequate cleanliness. This will help ensure the integrity of the system and the lubricant. Establish an effective oil analysis program Once the equipment is running with the new NSF H1 or HT­1 registered product, it is imperative for maintenance professionals to monitor its performance to ensure the conversion was done properly. This helps to ensure lubrication performance and system integrity according to HACCP planning. One of the most comprehensive ways to monitor the condition and performance of an oil is through a used oil analysis program. This type of condition­based monitoring provides maintenance professionals and plant managers with insight about the condition of the oil as well as the components of the equipment and its lubrication. Using this data, informed decisions can be made about the remaining life of the lubricant. In addition, the data can give valuable information about the condition of the equipment and can be used to address equipment issues before they lead to unscheduled downtime. Applications particularly suitable for a used oil analysis program are hydraulic and gear box equipment, as well as heat transfer systems. Typically, food and beverage pro­ cessing companies work with a trusted oil analysis provider and they can help provide advice on oil ana­ lysis frequency. For maintenance professionals, an effective and easy­ to­use oil analysis program is our company’s Signum Oil Analysis Program. This proprietary online ser­ vice offers customers immediate access and direct control of their lubricant sampling program. Food Quality First Yes, converting an entire food or bev­ erage processing facility to NSF H1 and HT­1 registered lubricants can be a large undertaking. However, by following the tips outlined in this article, plant managers and mainten­ ance professionals will be better able to turn it into a manageable task within their local risk management systems while helping their company optimize production, promote food quality, and ensure the brand integrity of its products. Key No. 70723 The Author Peter Bird is Marketing Advisor at Food Industry Machinery Lubricants, ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties food Marketing & Technology · June 2009 44