Subject Oil-free compressed air
Process All
Risk Background
Lubricants (grease, oil, including H1 lubricant) must not
be in contact with food product or primary packaging
material as they represent a potential health risk, H1
lubricants are only for incidental contact.
Nestlé policy requires the use of oil-free compressors
for replacement and for new installations to ensure
food safety. Oil-free means that the risk of air
contamination by the lubricant is theoretically 0%. But
this is only valid for the contamination which comes
from the compressor.
Sources of contamination with oil and oil vapor are
either due to the incoming atmospheric air or due to
the compressed air system itself:
• Atmospheric air that contains oil vapor, will be
compressed in the compressor. Therefore, the use
of oil-free compressors does not guarantee oil-free
compressed air. The use of a filtering system is
mandatory even for oil-free compressors.
• In older factory installation, lubricators (oilers)
might be installed decentrally. These add oil to the
compressed air. Today’s pneumatic components are
equipped with life-time grease and therefore don’t
require external lubrication. Lubricators should not
be used. When removing lubricators, be aware of
replacing all pneumatic components as well due to
washed out grease by the formerly usage of oil.
• Remaining oil residues in piping networks that
were previously connected to non oil-free
compressors.
Contaminated filter cartridge due to the high
amount of oil present in the compressed air
Business category All
Equipment Air compressor
Related to Contamination
Recommended Solutions
The quality requirements for compressed air depend on its Oil & oil vapor
use, particularly whether there is direct or indirect contact (liquid & vapor contaminants)
with food or primary packaging material. Compressed air must Source  Atmospheric air
be dry, oil-free, and filtered according to the air purity class of  Compressor lubrication
your specific application. For direct contact with the food  Oil separator failure
 Decentrally installed lubricators / oilers
product, oil-free compressors shall be used. To find out which Effect on  Contaminated end product
elements are necessary in order to avoid contamination of Nestle
compressed air: Check St-00.907-04 – Corporate Engineering product
Standards Appendix 9 – Compressed Air Controlled by  Oil-free compressors
 Oil separators
Preventive actions  Filters and filter cascades (centrally and
 The location of the compressor air intake should be decentrally installed)
Table showing the sources of oil contaminants, their
chosen to minimize the risk of contamination (do not put
risks and how they are controlled
it close to the ground or on roofs as concentration of oil
inside atmospheric air is high at these locations).
 In case of direct injection into products, a higher level of  Filters – if possible - should always be
filtration is needed at the point of use. fitted with differential pressure gauges or
 Depending on the needed air quality, filters should be visual filter change indicator to enable the
installed in the compressor room as well as at the point of identification of blocked or failed filter
use (production area). cartridges.
 For cost optimization, it is recommended to use cascaded  The level of condensate of the filter
filters (coarse before medium before fine) for an increased (centrally and decentrally installed) should
lifetime of the filter cartridges. be checked and drained regularly, if
possible chose automatic drainage
systems.
 For very harsh environments in the
production area, put filters in a stainless
steel cabinet, in order to avoid them from
being damaged.
Festo is the Nestlé Knowledge Partner for the
field of pneumatics. You can contact them
Compressed Air line with central and decentral filtration directly for help.
Hugo Piguet,
Factory All Contact Person Nuria Navarrete