News & InspirationFood Safe or Food Grade? It’s all about the application!

Food Safe or Food Grade? It’s all about the application!

Is the product suitable for Food Safe or Food Grade use? This is a question we are often asked when it comes to our chemical products and food safety. While the distinction may seem straightforward, in practice there’s more to it. The suitability of a product depends largely on the specific application it is intended for. In this article, we explain the difference between Food Safe and Food Grade — and why the application is key. 

Food Safe

Food Grade: a widely used term 

Food Grade is commonly used in the food industry, but it is not a legally protected or clearly defined term. In essence, anyone can label something as Food Grade. However, the term is generally used to indicate that a product is safe to come into contact with food. These products can be used during processing, storage or packaging without contaminating the food or posing a health risk. 

In practice, the term Food Grade is often applied to raw materials such as citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide and calcium chloride. This is because these substances are also used in industries outside of food production. For use in the food industry, these raw materials are purified and filtered. Only then can they be labelled as Food Grade — indicating they meet the specific standards required for food applications. 

 

Food Safe: product and process safety 

Just like “Food Grade”, the term “Food Safe” is widely used but not legally protected or formally defined. Often, “Food Safe” refers not only to product safety, but also to process safety. The product must be safe for use in food applications and must meet food safety standards such as FSSC 22000 throughout the entire chain – from raw material production to consumption.

Various legal frameworks with strict requirements apply to product safety, for instance regarding the presence of heavy metals. These ensure that a product can be used safely in the food industry. Certifications such as BRC and FSSC 22000 also ensure that the full supply chain complies with proces food safety standards from start to finish. 

In this sense, Food Safe encompasses all the measures taken to prevent food from becoming contaminated or non-compliant with legal standards. This includes following strict hygiene protocols, thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting equipment and facilities, and adhering to recognised food safety standards such as FSSC 22000.

The application determines the requirements

In this case, the terms “Food Grade” and “Food Safe” do not provide a sufficient answer to whether a product is suitable. That’s why it’s important to consider the specific application of the raw material. To clarify the differences in application, we use sodium hydroxide as an example. Sodium hydroxide can be used in various ways, each subject to its own set of laws and regulations. It may be used as a cleaning agent, as a processing aid to adjust pH levels, or as an ingredient where it creates specific conditions in the final product.

Each application comes with its own set of quality requirements for sodium hydroxide: 

  • As a cleaning agent, requirements are less specific for sodium hydroxide. 
  • As an ingredient, the most stringent requirements apply. In addition to (EU) No. 231/2012, the entire supply chain — from producer to end-user — must operate under a certified food safety system such as FSSC 22000. We refer to this as a closed supply chain. Only under these conditions can sodium hydroxide be safely and responsibly used as an ingredient, and legally labelled with an E-number on both the packaging and the product specification. 

How do you choose the right product for your application? 

When selecting the right product to meet legal requirements, it is essential to clearly define the intended application of the raw material. Is it used to clean your production line? Will it serve as a processing aid to adjust pH levels? Or will it be added as an ingredient and listed on your product label? 

Advice and support

By clarifying these points, we can provide tailored advice on the most suitable product for your specific use case. At In2Food, we are happy to assist with expert guidance and solutions that are perfectly aligned with your production process. 

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