GE Advanced Materials Offers Boron Nitride Powders With NSF Registration for Incidental Food Contact

06-07-2005: The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International has designated sixteen grades of GE Advanced Materials' boron nitride (BN) powder as acceptable for use in nonfood contact lubricants, ingredients in nonfood and incidental contact lubricants, such as greases, oils, and dry films. The move establishes GE as the only supplier of boron nitride ceramic powders that is compliant with this particular NSF certification.

Each of the sixteen GE BN grades received H-2, HX-2, and HX-1 designations under the NSF Nonfood Compounds Registration Program, which is a continuation of USDA 21 CFR 178.3570.

"This latest development further exemplifies GE Advanced Materials' commitment to take a leadership position in all of its core product technologies," said Bob Marchiando, industry manager, Lubrication and Wear, GE Advanced Materials. "The company not only offers boron nitride powder with this specific NSF registration, it offers sixteen different grades that all meet the criteria."

Lubricants must be given careful consideration, given the possibility of their coming into contact with food. Despite careful application, minor lubricant leaks into food are relatively common. Thus, food grade lubricants are essential in the production process. Lubricants possessing NSF registration are becoming increasingly attractive and growing in demand for these applications. With boron nitride's recent NSF registration, food manufacturers now can more confidently use boron nitride as a lubricant in/on their food processing equipment. BN is a white, inorganic, chemically inert, and non-toxic powder. As a solid lubricant, it offers excellent performance at high temperatures and pressures, with low thermal expansion and an ability to provide high thermal conductivity.