5 replies to this topic

[terris]

Hello. We are a chocolate manufacturing company and have a compressed air line system to operate most of our equipment. I recently found out that my staff sometimes uses the air to dry off direct food contact equipment like our molds. Rather than add filters to every point of use hose we are thinking of getting a food safe portable air compressors, or add on a filter to the portable unit and make that exclusively for drying molds when needed (they usually air dry). Problem is I cannot find anything commercially available. Does anyone out there know of a commercially available portable unit safe for food? 

Thank you!

[Scampi]

https://www.compress...de-compressors/

 

https://www.atlascop...s/food-beverage

 

The compressor itself needs to be an oil free unit ---not sure where either are located

[Jimimacintire]

Food grade oils are available for compressors.

[jfrey123]

I'd be hesitant to go purely with a "food safe" portable compressor as a replacement for point-of-use filtering from a costing perspective.  SQF guidance documents specifically call out that air used directly on food or food contact surfaces must be filtered at point of use, as the concern isn't just chemical (oil) but physical (moisture and physical contaminants in lines/hoses) as well as micro (hoses and lines are harborage points).  SQFI | Code Document

 

They specifically caution that manufacturers should "locate the filtration as close as practically possible (near the “point-of-use,” or the point where air contacts the food), to not have long lengths of piping/tubing between the microbial removal filter and the air/food contact point."  In your shoes, I would evaluate the cost of a basic portable compressor + a suitable filter system connected between the hose they're using vs trying to justify a more expensive "food grade" compressor that might have microbiological filtration built-in, especially from the PM cost perspective of ordering and replacing specialty filters built for the compressor.  And make sure you have a robust cleaning verification documented for the hose(s) they'll be attaching to it.

[MDDF]

Personally I'd take the path of least resistance, ie, tell them they can no longer dry off the molds with the air.   Let them air dry as you said they usually do....

[GMO]

While filtration close to use is a good idea, there's also the argument they're using it inappropriately now. If you buy something specifically for that use, how do you know they'll use it and not the one they're already using.

 

Two thoughts.

 

Firstly, should they be using it at all? I'd argue no and not just from a food safety perspective. By blowing off the water retained on the cleaned moulds, they are putting aerosols into the atmosphere of a chocolate plant. Not a good idea at all. Secondly compressed air is really flipping dangerous. So there is a people safety aspect.

 

I'd spend some time with the team understanding why they're using it. Is it because they don't have long enough for the moulds to dry naturally? Do you have a spare set which can dry as the others are in use? Could you? Is it a design issue? Is excessive water being added? Could you look at your washing machine differently? Could air knives be installed within the final stage from controlled sources of compressed air in a place where any aerosols generated can be contained? 

 

Secondly, if they do need it, why not control the whole thing? If they can use it safely from a food safety and health and safety point of view, can you make your whole compressed air system food grade? Change the oils in use, put in suitable filtration and traps etc. Or, ideally, can you do both? Get rid of the problem with drying the moulds which is being mitigated with the compressed air but also make your compressed air food safe? Because some idiot will use it for a new food contact purpose tomorrow that you've not thought of (even if it's just a one off).

Edited by GMO, 10 September 2026 - 05:01 PM.