MOAH-Free Certification for Food-Grade Lubricants｜A New Focus for Food Safety and Supply Chain Audits
In September 2026, NSF announced the first NSF 538 MOAH-Free certification for Interflon, covering more than 30 food-grade lubricants. The development supports more structured contamination-risk assessment and supplier reviews.
Food-processing facilities must consider more than equipment reliability and lubrication performance when managing lubricants. They also need to assess potential sources of contamination that may affect food safety. Mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) are one such concern. Potential sources include raw materials, processing aids, machinery lubricants, environmental contamination and food-contact materials. Formulation control and supplier-document reviews are therefore relevant parts of contamination-risk management.
On September 23, 2026, NSF announced that Interflon had become the first company to receive NSF 538 MOAH-Free certification, covering more than 30 of its food-grade lubricants. The guideline includes formulation review and laboratory analysis. Under NSF 538, products must contain less than 100 ppm MOAH as defined by the guideline, with no intentionally added mineral oil, paraffins, naphthenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or wax. Manufacturers must also maintain documented procedures designed to minimize contamination and meet ongoing requirements, including annual attestation and retesting.
The announcement comes as the European Union prepares to introduce legally binding maximum levels for MOAH in a range of foods from January 1, 2027. However, NSF 538 certification applies to qualifying lubricants or food-equipment materials; it does not certify finished food as compliant with EU maximum levels.
For food manufacturers, practical controls include checking the current registration or certification status of each product, reviewing technical documentation and supplier declarations, assessing the proximity of lubrication points to food-contact areas, and documenting potential migration pathways. Claims such as “MOAH-Free” should be checked against the applicable product, testing basis and certification scope rather than accepted from marketing language alone.
As food-safety requirements become more specific, lubricant purchasing and equipment maintenance should be integrated into the facility’s quality-management system. Clear product identification, verifiable certification records and ongoing risk-control documentation can help facilities manage potential contamination sources more systematically.
