FOOD SAFETY COMPRESSED AIR
Don’t be caught with a recall resulting from a compressed air contamination.
Where is the lubricant contamination Risk?
Air compressor Original Equipment Manufacturers indicates contamination from compressed air can be as high as 100 mg oil/m³. Even if a well maintained compressor has the correct filters and coalescers in place, it can still carry over 25 mg oil/ m³, while poorly maintained compressors with no oil filters, or incorrectly fitted oil filters or coalescers in place, will have unspecified oil carry over at a much higher rate. With the correct filtration equipment (3 stages),0.1 ppm can be achieved.
Air quality has a major impact on Food Safety. However even with multi-stage filtration, some of the oil can end up in the compressed air as a mist. This can contaminate food products being processed when the compressed air is used to stir or mix liquid food or to blow open bags for filling.
What does the U.S FDA say?
Title 21 Food and Drugs charter. Subpart 1 Sec. 110.40
Compressed air or other gases mechanically introduced into food or used to clean food contract surfaces or equipment shall be treated in such a way that food is not contaminated with unlawful indirect food additives
Code of federal regulations Title 21 volume 3 section 178.3570 lubricants with incidental food contact.
Maximum Allowable Contamination Levels with food;
Non Food Grade Lubricants….. 0 ppm
Food Grade Lubricants ………. 10 ppm
Shell Cassida Fluid CR46 is a fully synthetic high performance long life compressor oil, registered by NSF as H1 for incidental food contact. Resistance to oxidation which reduces gum & lacquer deposits on the coalescer, means better efficiency, air and lower maintenance costs.
A compressor was left running on a competitor fluid which showed deposits before the oil change at 4000 hrs. It was flushed and filled with Shell Cassida Fluid CR 46. After 5,756 hours on Shell Cassida CR 46 the coalescer and oil filter were inspected with the following results:
- Both were found clean and free from deposits
- Seals were in excellent condition
- Oil analysis showed oil still in excellent condition
Cassida CR 46 has been used in these compressors globally.
- Atlas Copco
- Berko Compressors
- Compare Hydrovane
- Gardner Denver
- Grassair
- Hitachi Compressors
- Ingersoll Rand
- Reitschle
- Vemag Maschinenbau GmbH
For more information Telephone Lincol Oil Company on 01469 571093
