Short answer: a food grade bearing combines corrosion-resistant stainless steel rings and balls with an NSF H1 registered lubricant, so it can run in food and beverage plants where incidental food contact is possible and survive daily washdown. Our Food Grade solid oil bearings go one step further: the H1 lubricant is locked in a solid polymer matrix that seals the bearing, so it cannot drip, purge or wash into product.
What NSF H1 actually means
NSF International registers lubricants for food processing environments. H1 is the category for lubricants acceptable where incidental food contact may occur, the standard requirement above the food line in processing, packaging and bottling plants. H2 lubricants are only allowed where there is no possibility of contact, and H3 lubricants are edible oils.
Why grease is a problem in food plants
- Grease purges out of running bearings and can drip onto product or conveyors.
- Hot, high-pressure washdown with caustic cleaners emulsifies and strips grease, leaving bearings dry and failing early.
- Relubrication near the food line introduces contamination risk and audit findings.
The solid oil answer
In our Food Grade solid oil bearings, the internal space is filled with a polymer matrix saturated with NSF H1 registered oil. The fill seals the bearing, so there is no separate seal or shield and no closure type to choose. The result:
- Nothing to purge or drip: the lubricant is solid.
- Washdown-proof: cleaning chemicals and pressure cannot remove the fill.
- Stainless steel rings and balls: corrosion resistance for wet zones.
- Zero relubrication: no maintenance activity near the food line.
Standard or Food Grade?
Every size we make comes in two grades. Standard bearings use chrome steel rings and balls with our standard solid lubricant and suit general industrial equipment. Food Grade bearings use stainless steel rings and balls with NSF H1 registered solid lubricant and are the right choice for food and beverage processing, washdown zones and corrosive environments. The part number tells you which is which: 6203-SL is the Standard bearing and S6203-FGSL is the Food Grade version of the same size (S for stainless, FG for food grade, SL for solid lube).
Typical applications
Conveyors and packaging machinery, filling and bottling lines, meat and poultry processing, bakery equipment, dairy plants and any washdown zone. Every one of our 204 sizes, metric, inch and miniature, is available in the Food Grade option; look for SKUs beginning with S and ending in FGSL.
How to order
The base bearings are made in China to standard dimensions and filled with NSF H1 solid oil to order at our facility in Glendale, California. Orders ship in 7 to 10 business days by UPS or USPS within the United States. Standard shipping is $10 and orders over $100 ship free. Find your size with the Bearing Finder, or request a quote for production quantities. Questions about a specific line or cleaning regime? Email info@solidoilbearings.com. See also: Solid Oil vs. Greased Bearings and our FAQ.