Poultry processing lubricants — NSF H1 certified, PFAS-free and washdown-resistant
Poultry processing is one of the most demanding environments for industrial lubrication. Chains, bearings and gearboxes run under continuous mechanical load while being exposed to daily high-pressure washdowns, aggressive disinfectants, blood, condensation and temperature extremes. This ranges from evisceration lines to spiral chiller zones at –28 °C. Conventional lubricants wash away within hours. The result is chain rust, bearing seizure, gearbox leakage and recurring unplanned stoppages, each one measurable in lost production, spare parts and audit risk.
The core challenge is not finding a lubricant that meets NSF H1. It is finding one that maintains its lubrication film after every washdown cycle, in every zone of the plant, without creating drip contamination or leaving maintenance teams relubricating daily just to keep lines moving.
Interflon's food-grade lubricants with MicPol® technology are formulated specifically for these conditions. They are PFAS-free, NSF H1 registered and ISO 21469 certified, and their performance is documented across every major application in poultry processing.
Documented results in poultry processing
- Poultry conveyor chains — relubrication interval extended from weekly to monthly; chain lifetime doubled from 1.5 to 3 years; lubricant consumption reduced by 70–80%
- Stunning and bleeding conveyors — chain lifetime doubled; rust eliminated; micro-stoppages reduced; audit findings on dripping oil eliminated
- Spiral chiller bearings — frozen bearing failures eliminated at –28 °C; annual savings of €1,500–€2,100 per chiller in spare parts; downtime reduced by 3–6 hours per year
- Sorter bearings (Marel) — grease consumption reduced by 87%; lubrication labour reduced from ~1,000 to ~40 hours per year; bearing reliability improved
- Dumper chains in offal processing — chain lifetime extended to 52+ weeks; lubrication frequency reduced from daily to weekly; over 300 interventions per year eliminated
Interflon is the first and only lubricant supplier to hold NSF 537 PFAS-free certification across a complete food-grade portfolio.
Applications
Frequently asked questions about lubricants for poultry processing
The recommended lubricants for poultry conveyor chains are Interflon Food Lube G220 and Food Lube G150, both NSF H1 registered chain oils formulated for daily washdown environments. Both use MicPol® technology to form a high-adhesion film that bonds to chain links and resists displacement by high-pressure water, disinfectants and steam. In documented poultry plant applications, relubrication frequency was reduced from weekly to monthly and chain lifetime doubled from 1.5 to 3 years.
Food-grade lubricants maintain film integrity during daily washdowns in poultry plants by bonding to metal surfaces rather than sitting on top of them. Interflon's lubricants with MicPol® technology penetrate into chain links and bearing surfaces, forming a film that resists displacement by high-pressure water, alkaline cleaners and disinfectants. Standard food-grade lubricants are not formulated for this and wash away during sanitation, leaving metal surfaces unprotected within hours.
The best lubricant for bearings in spiral chillers is a low-temperature grease that remains stable when ambient air temperatures reach –28 °C, resists condensation and washout, and meets NSF H1 requirements for incidental food contact. Interflon Food Grease LT2 is developed for this application. Bearing temperatures at the lubrication points are higher than the surrounding air, but the combination of extreme cold, moisture ingress and regular sanitation still causes conventional greases to harden or wash out. At a Belgian poultry plant, switching to Food Grease LT2 eliminated frozen bearing failures entirely, reduced downtime by 3–6 hours per year per chiller and delivered annual spare part savings of €1,500–€2,100 per unit.
PFAS-free lubricants are not universally required by law in poultry processing, but food safety auditors in the EU increasingly expect them and major retailers are applying PFAS-free requirements through their own supplier standards. Interflon's entire food-grade portfolio is PFAS-free and holds NSF 537 PFAS-free certification. Interflon is the first and only lubricant supplier globally to achieve this certification across a complete food-grade range.
Audit readiness in poultry processing requires NSF H1 registration per individual product, ISO 21469 certification of the manufacturing process, PFAS declarations and full traceability documentation. Interflon provides a complete audit pack including certificates, safety data sheets and PFAS declarations. A Technical Advisor can review your current programme and identify gaps before your next audit.