Are you using the right lubricant for your tortilla oven?

Tortillas are a staple worldwide, and demand is only growing. But behind every perfect tortilla is a well-maintained, high-speed oven running at extreme temperatures. In industrial production, tortillas are made in high-speed ovens, baked on steel "slat" oven plate chain belting systems that travel over a series of ribbon burners, with a relatively short bake time and a high throughput rate. To maintain such high production rates, the oven chains must be lubricated consistently using the right oil for the oven slat belt chain system. The wrong lubricant can damage equipment and pose a serious food safety risk. Are you using the right lubricant?

TL/DR - ALL tortilla bakeries should be using food-grade lubricant in their machinery. If using non-food grade hazardous oils, the tortillas run the risk of food contamination and having their product removed from food service and hospitality facilities and supermarket shelves. Stop Using Graphite! #BakeSafe

The Hidden Danger in Many Tortilla Factories

Many tortilla factories still use black graphite-based oil to lubricate oven chains. This is a serious mistake. Black graphite oil is NOT food-grade. It is hazardous and can contaminate food. Some manufacturers falsely promote it as food grade.

If you are still using black graphite, it is time to switch! Don’t risk your tortillas being recalled or removed from supermarket shelves and food service facilities.

Click to learn about the dangers of using black graphite lubricant in food production facilities.

 

Food Safety Compliance & Why It Matters

To get your tortillas into major supermarkets and food service facilities, your bakery must meet strict food safety standards such as:

✔ Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

✔ British Retail Consortium (BRC) certification

✔ Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification

✔ International Organization for Standardization (ISO) compliance

One critical part of compliance is the use of NSF H1 food-grade lubricant on oven chains. Failure to do so can lead to non-compliance, lost certifications, and products pulled from shelves.

Always consider surface temperature when selecting the correct slat belt chain oven chain lubricant. The combustion chamber air temperature is usually less than the chain temperature. The right lubricant depends on your oven's operating temperature. Use an infrared thermometer to measure your slat belt chain system’s surface temperature.