Lubrication for poultry chilling and preservation
Chilling tunnels, spiral freezers and cold stores present some of the most demanding lubrication conditions in poultry processing. Equipment runs under extreme cold, continuous condensation, moisture ingress and regular high-pressure sanitation. Standard lubricants either harden at low temperatures or wash away during cleaning, leaving bearings, chains and gearboxes unprotected.
The consequences are predictable. Bearings freeze and seize, chains corrode and stiffen and gearboxes leak in zones where contamination of chilled product is a direct food safety risk. Every unplanned stoppage in a chilling tunnel carries a significant cost in lost production and product quality.
Interflon's PFAS-free, NSF H1 lubricants with MicPol® technology remain stable at low ambient temperatures, resist condensation and washout and keep cold-chain equipment running reliably. In a documented case at a Belgian poultry plant, switching to Interflon Food Grease LT2 eliminated frozen bearing failures entirely in spiral chiller zones with ambient temperatures reaching –28 °C.
Applications in chilling and preservation
Lubrication for poultry chilling tunnels and shock coolers → Chains, bearings and gearboxes in chilling tunnels and shock coolers. Documented results: frozen bearing failures eliminated, annual spare part savings of €1,500–€2,100 per chiller, downtime reduced by 3–6 hours per year.
Frequently Asked Questions about lubrication in poultry chilling and preservation
The main lubrication challenges in poultry chilling tunnels and cold stores are bearing seizure in cold and wet conditions, chain corrosion from condensation and cleaning chemicals and gearbox oil thickening at low temperatures. Standard lubricants harden or wash away in these environments, leaving components unprotected. The result is frozen bearings, stiff chains and gearbox leakage, each one a direct cause of unplanned downtime and hygiene risk in cold-chain zones.
Bearings in poultry spiral chillers and cold stores require a low-temperature NSF H1 grease that remains stable under condensation, moisture ingress and regular sanitation in cold environments. Interflon Food Grease LT2 is developed for this application. In a documented case at a Belgian poultry plant, switching to Food Grease LT2 eliminated frozen bearing failures in spiral chiller zones where ambient temperatures reached –28 °C, reducing downtime by 3–6 hours per year and delivering annual spare part savings of €1,500–€2,100 per chiller.
Gearbox oil thickening in cold storage and chilling equipment is prevented by replacing conventional gear oils with a semi-fluid NSF H1 grease that remains fluid at low operating temperatures. Interflon Food Grease HD00 can replace conventional oils in cold-storage gearboxes where compatible with gearbox design and OEM guidance. It resists thickening, reduces leakage and lowers operating temperature, eliminating a common cause of gearbox failure and energy loss in cold-chain environments.