More food safety through the new "Blue Range" of SKF Food Line ball bearing units: reducing contaminants instead of spreading them

In food production facilities, the innovative SKF Food Line ball bearing units of the Blue Range counteract the unwanted spread of bacteria through cleaning processes. (Image: SKF)

In food production facilities, the innovative SKF Food Line ball bearing units of the Blue Range counteract the unwanted spread of bacteria through cleaning processes. (Image: SKF)

In food production facilities, the innovative SKF Food Line ball bearing units of the Blue Range counteract the unwanted spread of bacteria through cleaning processes. (Image: SKF)

Victoria van Camp, a member of the Executive Board of SKF responsible for Technology, Business, and Product Development: "The traditional re-lubrication of food production machinery, as well as the usual wet and dry cleaning of the bearings installed there, can become 'hidden nutrient sources' for contamination. To prevent such hazards, we have implemented a new hygiene concept with the Blue Range of SKF Food Line ball bearing units." (Image: SKF)

Thanks to their extremely smooth surfaces and exceptional tightness, the blue SKF Food Line bearing units contribute to higher food safety in the industry. (Image: SKF)

19-01-30_SKF_PI_New_Blue_Range_Ball_Bearing_Units_3b Thanks to their extremely smooth surfaces and exceptional sealing, the blue SKF Food Line bearing units contribute to higher food safety in the industry. (Image: SKF)

Thanks to their extremely smooth surfaces and exceptional tightness, the blue SKF Food Line bearing units contribute to higher food safety in the industry. (Image: SKF)

SKF has completely redesigned the new Blue Range of their Food Line bearing units – component by component. (Image: SKF)

The SKF Food Line ball bearing units of the Blue Range, lubricated for life, not only reduce the risk of contamination but also decrease maintenance effort. (Image: SKF)

The lifetime-lubricated SKF Food Line ball bearing units of the Blue Range not only reduce the risk of contamination but also decrease maintenance efforts. (Image: SKF)

This video illustrates how bacteria can spread through cleaning processes on "conventional" storage facilities. (Image: SKF)

In this video, the lead developer of Blue Range, Fabio Falaschi from the SKF Innovation Office in Italy, explains some features of the new SKF Food Line ball bearing units. (Image: SKF)

Innovative, blue ball bearing units from SKF open up new possibilities for the hygienic design of food production facilities. Thanks to their high reliability, the "Blue Range" of SKF Food Line ball bearing units also helps reduce maintenance costs and supports food and beverage manufacturers in achieving greater sustainability.

The new Blue Range of SKF Food Line ball bearing units supports the industry in its efforts to improve food safety. The background of SKF's new development is the fact that the food and beverage industry has been suffering from a drastic increase in recalls since 2012. For example, recalls by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have increased by 92.7 percent over six years, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also recorded an increase of 83.4 percent1. Bacterial contamination and undeclared allergens now account for 75 percent of the main causes of FDA recalls2.

Critical component issues

Given such developments, it is not surprising that the food and beverage industry is desperately seeking proactive solutions to improve food safety. Higher-level approaches are top priorities for many responsible parties, but often lack the necessary knowledge about contamination risks at the component level – and how to eliminate such production-related risks.

"Of course, most companies have implemented various safety measures to protect their food," says Victoria van Camp, responsible for technology, business, and product development on the SKF executive board. "These range from simple signs urging regular handwashing to the purchase of 'food-grade' machines designed under special hygiene considerations."

Hidden nutrient reservoirs

The problem is that traditional relubrication of such machines, as well as the usual wet and dry cleaning of the bearings used, can turn into "hidden nutrient reservoirs" for contamination. These contaminations can easily spread throughout the operation through "droplet transmission" in the air, via wastewater, or through contaminated lubricants. "To prevent such hazards, a new hygiene concept was necessary. And that is exactly what we have now implemented with the Blue Range of SKF Food Line ball bearing units," says van Camp.

SKF has developed these ball bearing units from the ground up – component by component – to optimize hygiene, performance, and food safety. Thanks to their innovative sealing system, a special, food-compatible, allergen-free grease, and the complete static and dynamic sealing of the highly encapsulated units, the latest SKF Food Line solutions offer users outstanding performance advantages.

Advantages for OEMs and end users

Example for OEMs: By using bearing units that not only last longer but are also maintenance-free and highly easy to clean, OEMs can improve the performance of their food processing plants both in terms of production technology and hygiene. This, in turn, helps food and beverage manufacturers reduce risks related to food safety. The particularly "hygienic-conscious" design of the bearing units, which includes an extremely smooth surface, also counteracts bacterial buildup in hard-to-reach areas. Thus, the Blue Range reduces the risk of bacteria being unintentionally spread throughout the plant during cleaning processes.

Furthermore, the blue ball bearing units contribute to higher availability of production facilities: they do not require relubrication, allowing the plants to operate without the usual stops for lubrication. The time spent removing excess bearing grease is also eliminated. Ultimately, minimized downtime maximizes productivity.

This also includes that the new blue SKF Food Line ball bearing units "eliminate" relubrication costs and reduce the frequency of bearing replacements – even under challenging environmental conditions. Food and beverage manufacturers can thus save multiple times: on lubrication materials and related labor, as well as on spare parts procurement.

Better eco-balance

Last but not least, the SKF Food Line Blue Range ball bearing units also improve the ecological balance of their users. Companies now need about one-third less hot water for cleaning their systems and avoid contaminating their wastewater with excess bearing grease. The disposal of contaminated cleaning agents is also eliminated. Additionally, the components used in the new blue SKF Food Line bearings are 59 percent recyclable and 41 percent recoverable for energy. This allows the food and beverage industry to shift from a more disposal-oriented environmental strategy to a more preventive approach.

1 Food Safety Tech Staff, "FDA Food Recalls Up Nearly 93% Since 2012," Food Safety Tech, Feb 16, 2018.
2 Stericycle, "Recall Index," Q4 2017.