Assuring food safety in food processing: The future regulatory environment for food-grade lubricants

Regulatory changes in the food industry affect the food-grade lubricant market of the future. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection System (FSIS) - in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - long maintained a system of oversight by granting "prior authorization" for lubricants intended for use in food-processing facilities. In September 1998, USDA eliminated this authorization program and instituted the requirements of a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system instead. This paper will discuss various initiatives within the industry to develop an alternative system of authorization and will assert that "third-party certifiers" will dominate in the future food-grade lubricant marketplace.