How Do You Lubricate a Food Processor
Have you read your food processor’s manual recently? Ever? More than likely, you took the food processor out of the box and left the manual inside. Everyone knows that regular cleaning, maintenance and repair will extend the life of any foodservice equipment.
Maybe you’ve even been really good about cleaning the food processor after every use and taking the time to sharpen or replace the blades just per the manufacturer’s recommendations. But are you doing enough to ensure you squeeze every lemon you can out of your machine? In fact, there are some little-known tasks, such as lubricating a food processor that often get overlooked, especially if you haven’t peeked at the manual lately.
So, how do you lubricate a food processor? A few short minutes up front can save you a lot of downtime later on. Without further ado, let’s get your restaurant, cafeteria, deli or other foodservice establishment working like the well-oiled machine at the heart of your success.
What Is the Lubricant Used in Food Processing?
In a perfect world, machine lubricant would never come in contact with the food it’s processing. However, accidents happen either from human error or uneven wear and tear of machine components. That’s why the USDA and NSF have established regulations to ensure commercial and non-commercialized food remains safe for consumers. Below is a breakdown of the different types of food-grade lubricants you can use on food processors:
H1 Lubricants
H1 lubricants are used in food processing and are considered food-safe in small quantities. For this reason, it’s very important that you use only food-grade lubricants in the recommended amounts on food processing equipment, as the food-safe claim only refers to accidental contact.
In fact, the term food-grade/food-safe lubricants is misleading. H1 lubricants are not safe to consume beyond 10 parts per million, meaning that lubricant should not be found in more than 0.001% of the product, if that gives you any idea why over-lubricating is a common but under-recognized problem in the foodservice industry.
H2 Lubricants
H2 lubricants can also be used in food processing, but only when there’s no risk of the lubricant coming in contact with food products, as they are not safe for consumption in any part per million. Because H2 lubricants are not safe to ingest and are still used in food processing, they are not allowed to contain any known carcinogens or toxins.
H3 Lubricants
H3 lubricants are typically used to prevent meat, bread, dairy and other food products from sticking during processing. Also referred to as food-grade grease, H3 lubricants are often applied to cooking and cutting surfaces and food processing equipment like slicers and conveyor belts. Unlike H1 and H2 lubricants, H3 lubricants are edible oils designed for direct contact use and are made out of corn, soybeans, cottonseed or sunflowers.
How Do You Lubricate a Food Processor?
When it comes down to lubricating your food processor, there are a couple of areas you’ll want to pay attention to: the blade assembly and the motor seal. We’ll break it down for you step by step in the section below:
- Step 1. Apply lubricant to the blade assembly – As mentioned above, there are 3 types of food grade lubricants you can choose from. Check with your respective manual to ensure you’re using a manufacturer-approved lubricant in the right quantities. Remember, H1 lubricants are authorized for incidental contact, H2 lubricants for no contact and H3 lubricants for direct contact.
- Step 2. Take apart and clean the blade assembly – To properly clean the blade assembly, you’ll have to disassemble it, especially since food juices and particles can get in between the components and compromise the seal. The instructions might vary depending on your unit’s make and model, but it’ll generally include these components: top locking nut, spacer, top blade and bottom blade.
- Step 3. Lubricate the motor seal – The motor seal is located on the motor shaft. Most food processing models call for the motor seal to be lubricated regularly with a food-grade grease or oil. You should replace the motor seal once every three to six months or whenever you notice wear and tear although keeping on top of a regimented lubrication schedule can help extend its life to a year or more.
- Step 4. Lubricate and reassemble the blade assembly – Before putting the blade assembly back in reverse order in which you took it apart–that is, bottom blade, top blate, spacer and top locking nut–you’ll need to lubricate each part in turn.
How Often Should You Lubricate a Food Processor?
The blade assembly on your food processor should be lubricated as often as you use it. You can apply a food grade lubricant before and after assembly and disassembly to prevent corrosion and ease friction. You should lubricate the shaft seal regularly.