NSF Awards First PFAS-Free Certification to ROCOL’s Food Grade Lubricants

18 June 2025

New NSF 537 Certification Addresses Growing Concerns About “Forever Chemicals” in Food Production

OXFORD, UK — June 18, 2025 — NSF, an independent global services organisation, today announced that ROCOL has become the first manufacturer to achieve certification to NSF 537: PFAS-Free Products for Nonfood Compounds and Food Equipment Materials. This milestone certification demonstrates ROCOL’s commitment to producing products that are free from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals.”

The new NSF 537 certification program, launched earlier this year, provides manufacturers with a verified method to identify lubricants and food equipment materials that do not contain PFAS. With increasing regulatory scrutiny and growing concerns about PFAS in the food supply chain, this certification represents a significant advancement in food safety standards.

With mounting concerns and new regulations being introduced regarding PFAS in our environment and food supply, NSF 537 represents a significant leap forward in consumer safety and transparency. ROCOL’s achievement as the first manufacturer to meet these rigorous standards demonstrates its commitment to food safety and environmental responsibility. Their proactive approach helps set a new benchmark for the industry.

Sam Cole, Director of Food Contact Evaluation at NSF

The NSF 537 certification involves comprehensive testing and verification, including:

Maximum Total Organic Fluorine (TOF) level below 50 parts-per-million
Prohibition of PFAS additives
No post-consumer recycled materials
Annual retesting to ensure continued compliance

NSF’s new PFAS certification is a significant step forward for the food industry, and we’re proud to have helped bring it to life. Being the first to receive this certification reflects our commitment to both our customers and the planet, setting a new industry benchmark. This milestone reinforces the quality, durability, and safety of our FOODLUBE® products, while upholding the highest environmental standards. We’re looking forward to completing the certification across the full range. I would urge others in the industry to follow suit and get their products certified. The NSF team were incredibly supportive throughout the process, and collective action is essential to tackling the issue of forever chemicals.

Jess Baker, Senior Scientist at ROCOL

The certification comes at a critical time as the EU has recently implemented new regulations for food contact materials, with full implementation expected by August 11, 2026. The UK is currently exploring new regulations regarding PFAS in food contact materials.

For food manufacturers, ROCOL’s certified PFAS-free lubricants offer several advantages:

Independently validated compliance with emerging PFAS regulations
Enhanced consumer safety and trust
Reduced environmental impact
Simplified route to supplier verification with the NSF White Book^TM

This certification is not just about meeting current standards, it’s about anticipating future needs in food safety. As the first of its kind, NSF 537 provides food manufacturers with clarity and confidence when selecting materials that come into contact with food production environments.

Sam Cole, Director of Food Contact Evaluation at NSF

Note to editors

PFAS-Free means that the product contains no intentionally added PFAS, no post-consumer recycled material, no intentionally used PFAS additives (PPA, etc.) and the Total Organic Fluorine is less than 50 ppm. Learn more about NSF 537.

About NSF

NSF is an independent, global services organization dedicated to improving human and planet health for more than 80 years by developing public health standards and providing world-class testing, inspection, certification, advisory services and digital solutions to the food, nutrition, water, life sciences and consumer goods industries. NSF has 40,000 clients across all continents and is a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality and Medical Device Safety.

About ROCOL

ROCOL® is part of ITW, one of the world’s leading diversified manufacturers of specialised industrial equipment, consumables and related service businesses. Based in Leeds, UK, ROCOL develops, manufactures and markets technically advanced industrial lubricants and line marking systems to industries worldwide, ensuring customers performance you can trust.