H1, H2, H3: A Plain-English Guide to Food-Grade Lubricants
Lubricant records are now a standard audit item under FSMA. Here is what each NSF category means and how to keep your plant audit-ready.
Every conveyor, mixer, slicer and bottling line in a food plant needs lubrication. The question is not whether lubricant could reach the product, but what happens if it does. That is what the NSF lubricant categories are for.
The three categories
H1: incidental food contact. H1 lubricants are formulated only from ingredients permitted by the FDA under 21 CFR 178.3570. They are meant for points where a small amount of lubricant could accidentally touch food, packaging or food-contact surfaces: bearings above a conveyor, chains on a filler, gears on a mixer.
H2: no food contact. H2 lubricants are for equipment in a food plant where there is no possibility of contact with food, such as forklifts, compressors in a separate room or equipment below the production line with no exposure path.
H3: soluble oils. H3 products are edible oils used to clean and prevent rust on hooks, trolleys and similar equipment. They are sometimes called “hook oils”.
You will also see ISO 21469, an international standard that certifies the lubricant’s manufacturing process and hygiene controls, not just its formula. Many global food companies ask for both H1 registration and ISO 21469.
Why audits focus on lubricants
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) moved US food safety from reacting to recalls to documenting preventive controls. As a result, auditors under SQF, BRCGS and customer programs now routinely ask:
- Which lubricant is used at each lubrication point?
- Is every product near the line H1 registered? Can you show the registration?
- Are H1 and non-H1 products stored separately and clearly labeled?
- Are grease guns and oil cans dedicated to a single product?
Using an H2 product on an H1 point is one of the most common findings, and one of the easiest to prevent.
A simple checklist
- Map every lubrication point and mark it H1 or H2.
- Consolidate. Many plants find they can cover most points with a few H1 products, which reduces the risk of mix-ups.
- Keep registration letters on file. NSF publishes a registration number for every H1 product, and you can check it in NSF’s online listings.
- Label everything: storage, grease guns, oil cans and the lubrication points themselves.
- Train new staff. Most misapplications happen during shift changes and when temporary workers are on the line.
H1 products we stock
Oilsan supplies a full range of NSF H1 registered HUSKEY™ lubricants, including HTL-500 synthetic grease for freezer and oven bearings, LVI-50 and Lube-O-Seal waterproof greases, FG-300 and HI-LO series oils, and FG-1800 food-grade anti-seize. Browse our food-grade range or ask us to help you consolidate your list.
Sources: NSF: What makes a lubricant food grade · JAX: NSF lubricant category codes
