SKF introduces new series of food industry compliant bearings
Category : News
SKF has developed a stainless steel deep groove ball bearing with blue seals that fulfils FDA and EC requirements. The bearing is also filled with food-grade grease registered by the NSF as category H1. The new product is designed to further raise the compliance of its corrosion resistant range of ball bearings for the food and beverage industries.
SKF has introduced a new series of food industry compliant bearings, which helps to minimise the risk of food adulteration and contamination, and subsequent product recalls. Its new range of SKF Food Line stainless steel deep groove ball bearings (VP311) meets two key requirements of the food industry:
Seals made from synthetic rubber compliant with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as European Community (EC) requirements*, coloured blue for ease of optical detectability, should they be damaged
High quality grease, suitable for typical food and beverage application conditions registered as NSF category H1**
The Food Line family includes 19 different standard sizes of deep groove ball bearings from SKF’s comprehensive range, in diameters ranging from 8 to 40mm.
“Both the blue seal and the lubricant were developed for use in food and beverage applications,” says David Oliver, SKF Europe Industry Manager Food and Beverage. “The overall bearing meets the highest standards of food management systems and regulations. This offer is unique to SKF, none of our competitors can offer the full package of food grade grease, plus FDA and EC approved blue coloured sealing in their stainless steel deep groove ball bearings.”
Food safety management systems such as HACCP are placing ever greater importance on safe food production. Many food product recalls are necessitated by the possible presence of hard or sharp objects, so food safety and detectability are high priorities for any components operating close to the food stream. The same is true of lubricants, and for this reason food-grade lubricants are increasingly used on a plant-wide basis to remove the possibility of accidentally applying a non-food grease to a critical component.
SKF stainless steel deep groove ball bearings offer high resistance to corrosion, so that they can withstand the aggressive wash down regimes which are necessary in the food industry. The special seal enhances this, helping to retain lubricant and prevent ingress of wash down fluids.
* FDA 21CFR section 177.2600 ‘Rubber articles intended for repeated use’ in producing, manufacturing, packing processing, preparing, treating, packaging, transporting or holding food. EC conformity to the overall migration requirements of the German BfR recommendation XXI for category 3 materials.
** Lubricant registered by NSF as category H1 (lubricant acceptable with incidental food contact for use in and around food processing areas). The NSF registration confirms it fulfils the requirements listed in the US Food and Drug Administration’s guidelines under 21 CFR section 178.3570.
