Four Truths About ISO 21469 Certified Lubricants
- 1
ISO 21469 Is a Product Certification, NOT a Management Systems Certification
ISO 21469, Safety of Machinery, Lubricants with Incidental Product Contact-Hygiene Requirements
is the one global standard for food-grade lubricants. While management system certifications help drive organizational improvements, ISO 21469 certifications verify compliance with product formulation, manufacturing and packaging requirements.
ISO 21469 certification does assure end users a production facility is ISO 9001 certified as it is a prerequisite for ISO 21469.
- 2
ISO 21469 Certification Is an Upgrade From H1 Registration
ISO 21469 certifications and H1 registrations both involve reviews of product ingredients and labeling; however, ISO 21469 goes one step further by also focusing on the quality control of a product’s manufacture by including:
- On-site validations of formulations
- On-site audits to verify packaging and risk assessment accuracy
- Mandatory product testing
- Additional labeling reviews for enhanced traceability
In addition to food and beverage processors, ISO 21469 certified lubricants are also specified by the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and animal feed industries.
- 3
ISO 21469 Certification Addresses Three Causes of Contamination
Chemical Risks
Getting food-grade lubricants certified:
- Ensures registered H1 formulation information has not changed
- Confirms that the ingredients on the label are exactly what is in the product
Manufacturing Risks
Going through the certification process:
- Reduces the risk of cross-contamination with other lubricants, additives, thickeners and base oils during production
- Verifies lubricants are produced following Good Manufacturing Practices
Storage/Handling Risks
Certifying food-grade lubricants:
- Mitigates contamination risks and product degradation due to moisture, dirt, dust, airborne particles and temperature variances during storage
- Verifies products are properly stored and not beyond the recommended shelf life
- Ensures products are being transported safely
- 4
ISO 21469 Certification Is Required in Brazil
Food-grade lubricants manufactured in, imported into or exported out of Brazil must be ISO 21469 certified. More and more food and beverage processors worldwide are also specifying ISO 21469 certified lubricants.
Stay informed about food-grade lubricants
How NSF Can Help You
What’s New with NSF
Thomas Vyles Honored With 2026 Walter F. Snyder Environmental Health Award
August 19, 2026The award honors Walter F. Snyder, co-founder and first executive director of NSF, and pioneers whose work advances environmental and public health.
NSF Hosts First External Review Panel for ‘NSF/KWTC 555’ with Key Asian Water Authorities
August 3, 2026Joint standard development gains momentum to enhance confidence in Asia’s water industry and advance drinking water safety.
NSF Achieves European Accreditation for Drinking Water Product Certification Ahead of 2027 EU Deadline
July 22, 2026The ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation from BELAC complements NSF’s testing capacity, enabling end-to-end support for EU Drinking Water Directive (DWD) readiness ahead of the January 2027 deadline.
Meet NSF at Fruit Attraction
July 15, 2026NSF is excited to be exhibiting at Fruit Attraction, a leading international trade fair for the fruit and vegetable sector.