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How are food-grade bearings different?
2025-04-15
Food-grade bearings for the food and beverage industry
440 grade stainless steel bearings and Delrin bearings are widely used in food and beverage industry applications. These bearings often have to deal with regular washdowns, steam cleaning, contamination, possible high temperatures, fluids and other corrosive materials.
Bearings must also meet the strict sanitation standards of the food industry, and stainless steel ball bearings can be supplied with non-toxic lubricants that meet NSF (formerly USDA) H1 or H2 standards. Bearings with food-grade lubricants are also required to withstand the ingress of water or cleaning chemicals and to cope with regular steam cleaning.
Food grade bearings are available with metal shields or rubber seals. For high temperature applications, Viton seals are available in a variety of sizes, as well as food approved high temperature grease. Stainless steel bearings require relubrication for applications with temperatures up to 300 C, such as in bakery equipment.
For applications that are too corrosive for 440 stainless steel ball bearings, a range of full ceramic bearings made of zirconium oxide or silicon nitride are needed. Ceramic bearings are also required for higher extreme temperatures. In addition, food-grade plastic bearings made of acetal resin, polypropylene or PEEK are also required, as well as highly corrosion-resistant 316 grade stainless steel bearings.
