USDA Approved Method of Coating Stainless Steel to Prevent Rust or Corrosion

No matter what the cuisine, whether small food prep area or enormous production facility, the material of choice is corrosion-resistant, easy to clean stainless steel. But even stainless steel needs lubrication and maintenance. Regulations regarding products that can be safely used for that purpose are constantly changing. Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture no longer directly oversees those regulations, USDA standards are still the mainstay.

Significance

• The USDA set categories for food grade oils used to lubricate and control corrosion on food handling and processing equipment. The categories are based on the likelihood that the lubricants will come into contact with food. Entities such as the National Sanitation Foundation still use some form of these categories in the approval and registration process of food grade lubricants.

H1

• This category is for lubricants that may have incidental contact with food. To gain approval, they must be formulated from a list of ingredients that are generally recognized as safe. Greases, hydraulic oils and lubricants in this category are used in and on food processing equipment, from cutting and bottling machinery to pumps, mixers and transport mechanisms.

H2

• Lubricants in this category are generally used on machine parts where there is no possibility of food contact. Although there is no particular ingredients list, they cannot contain mineral acids, odorous substances, intentionally added heavy metals or substances that can cause cancer, mutations or birth defects.

H3

• H3 lubricants are typically considered edible oils. They are used to clean and prevent rust on items such as transport tables and hooks. All traces of these oils must still be removed before the equipment comes into contact with food products.

Considerations

• Keeping food safe is a major concern, and a major headache. The rules regarding what can and can't come into contact with food are nearly always in flux, because the products that are available for that purpose keep changing as well. Many facilities choose to play it safe and use only those with ingredients generally considered safe, such as the H1 lubricants.