Lubricants in the food industry. What is the NSF H1 standard?

Any lubricant designed to work in a food processing environment must meet certain standards that guarantee quality and safety, as well as compliance with established standards and guidelines.

NSF International Organization

The registration program for non-food compounds and proprietary substances is managed by the National Sanitation Foundation (now NSF International), established in 1944. As a global, independent organization, NSF International develops public health standards, as well as tests, audits and certifies products and services. It conducts its research in 180 countries around the world, in all major industries. NSF certification is therefore a guarantee that the products used meet strict standards to protect public health.

NSF H1 food grade lubricants

NSF categorizes lubricants based on the likelihood of food contact, using designations for the appropriate food grade. The H1 registration confirms that the product is suitable for applications where incidental food contact may occur.

The NSF-certified product label includes the registration number, category symbol and registration symbol. In addition, the name of the registered product is listed in the current NSF White Book Listing of Nonfood Compounds.

ISO 21469 certification

Lubricants registered as H1 and certified according to ISO 21469 are considered approved for food contact. This certification is for a product, not a management system, and is a global standard for food-grade lubricants. Unlike management system certifications (which help make organizational improvements), ISO 21469 certification focuses on product compliance with formulation, manufacturing and packaging requirements.

ISO 21469-certified products guarantee that the product is manufactured in an ISO 9001-certified production facility and meets the requirements of the organization’s quality management system. Having ISO 9001 certification is a prerequisite for a plant to use ISO 21469 certification.

It is worth mentioning that ISO 21469 certification is actually a development and expansion of the H1 standard. Both ISO 21469 certifications and H1 registrations include reviews of product ingredients and labeling. However, ISO 21469 goes a step further, also focusing on quality control of product manufacturing, including:

1. Formulation validations
2. Audits to verify correctness of packaging and risk assessment
3. Mandatory product tests
4. Additional label reviews for better traceability

In addition to the food and beverage processing industry, ISO 21469-certified oils and lubricants are also used by the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and feed industries.

European perspective

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), as an organization that provides independent advice and opinions on food hazards, has no official regulations at this point, governing the definition of food grade (e.g. H1, H2, etc.). However, it is worth remembering that all lubricants certified and registered by NSF International in group H1 and certified by ISO 21469 are officially accepted as food grade lubricants by EU regulators and food processors. Read more about EFSA.

Safety and security for food producers

Registration and certification of the lubricant by an independent center, such as NSF International, provides assurance that the product does indeed meet regulatory requirements for food grade. The certificate itself is not granted for life, but is periodically renewed during regular inspections. This means constant control and maintenance of oil and lubricant quality, as well as safety and security for manufacturers, in the use of NSF H1 oils.