Do we have to use food grade lubricants?

Good Afternoon all

I am after a bit of advice.

As a company we supply our customer Aerosol components, for the past 2 years we have come under the High Hygiene Category (we strongly disagree) therefore we have risk assessed ourselves out of the 'hair nets' and 'snood' and 'laundry services' part of the standard. We do not make/deal with food neither does our customer.

Can anyone suggest if we HAVE to use FOOD GRADE Lubricants? Does it say anywhere in the Standard that we HAVE to?

I look forward to the response

Thank you

Hello Brader,

I think that knowing which kind of product exactly you make and their intended use would be greatly helpful to answer your question : maybe there are specific guidelines for these products (perhaps in the Hygiene products Segment?)

Best regards,

Pauline

Good Morning Pauline

We assemble Aerosols Valves, our customer assembles the Aerosols and fill with product.

BRC like the fact we use food grade, but I can't see if it's mandatory too.

Thank you :)

Hi Brader,

do you know the usage of these products? for example if they fill the aerosols with deodorant, maybe it would be mandatory to use food grade lubricants, but if they fill them with insecticides I see no reason to do so.

Best Regards,

Ioannis

_{Good Morning Ioannls}

_{Yes it is for Deodorants, I know the tree category has recently changed to distinguish high/low but I can't see in the standard anything about food grade substances to be used}

_{Thank you}

Hi Brader,

Materials used for equipment and plant maintenance that pose a risk by direct or indirect contact with product must be suitable for intended use. Food-grade lubricants must be used where there is potential for contamination (for example, in those sites manufacturing packaging for use in direct contact with food or hygiene-sensitive product, e.g. cosmetics) and documentary evidence of this may be required.

Agree with the previous comments especially Kamandru.

The answer is it depends and you determine yes or no by risk assessment based on what the lubricant is used for and where it is used and the opportunity for direct or indirect contact with the packaging.  For example if the lubricant is used on gears inside the machine then likelihood is very low, so no food grade, but if the lubricant is used on the conveyor then maybe yes.

List all your production lubricants and chemicals on an excel and add columns as above and thrash it out.

Regards,

Simon