Common OEM Mistakes in Food-Grade Silicone Production and How to Fix Them

Food grade silicone projects have four key steps: picking the right material and certificates, designing the mold, molding and curing, then cleaning and testing. These steps are standard, but even good factories keep making the same preventable errors when they switch from industrial parts to food-contact items. Those mistakes can kill a certification, lose a customer, or put users in danger. This article lists the most common errors and gives simple, practical ways to stop them.

1. Choosing Wrong or Fake-Certified Raw Silicone

Using the wrong base material is the fastest way to ruin a ODM/OEM food grade project. Non-food-grade silicone can release toxic substances into food. That fails migration tests and creates legal and health problems. Many factories simply trust supplier paperwork without checking it. Others mix up industrial LSR with real food-grade LSR—they look almost the same but are not.

Main reasons:

• Believing fake or incomplete supplier certificates
• Mixing up LFGB and FDA rules (they are different)
• Buying cheap industrial LSR that has no food approval

How to fix it:

• Always ask for real third-party test reports (FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 or LFGB)
• Check the exact material grade code and the supplier’s history
• Only buy materials that appear on official food-contact lists

2. Ignoring Migration Limits (FDA, LFGB, EU 1935/2004)

Even platinum-cured silicone can fail migration limits. These limits control how much stuff can move from the silicone into food. Fail them and the product gets blocked or recalled. Factories often trust general “food-safe” claims. They forget to look at real-use conditions like hot oil contact.

How to fix it:

• Ask for full migration test reports that match your food type and temperature
• Know the limits (example: EU total migration ≤ 10 mg/dm²)
• Always test under worst-case conditions (hot fatty food, 100 °C, long contact time)

3. Using Normal Release Sprays Instead of Food-Safe Ones

Standard mold-release sprays leave traces on the part. If the spray is not food-approved, the product fails migration tests. Many factories keep using the same industrial sprays out of habit.

How to fix it:

• Change to certified food-grade release sprays
• Coat molds with permanent PTFE when possible
• Switch to water-based release agents that meet FDA/LFGB rules

4. Not Polishing Molds Enough – Bacteria Can Hide

Tiny scratches on baby bottles or kitchen tools trap food and grow bacteria. Factories often use the same rough polishing standard they use for industrial parts.

How to fix it:

• Require surface roughness Ra ≤ 0.4 μm on all food-contact surfaces
• Ask for SPI-A2 mirror finish on critical areas
• Re-polish molds on a fixed schedule

5. Wrong Curing Time or Temperature – Leftover Chemicals Stay Inside

Too short or too cool curing leaves catalyst or peroxide inside. That creates smell and fails extractable tests. Many factories copy the fast industrial curing profile instead of the longer food-grade one.

How to fix it:

• Post-cure at 200 °C for 4–6 hours (longer for thick parts)
• Check with TGA that no volatiles remain
• Always use platinum addition-cure systems for food items

6. Skipping or Faking Official Test Reports

No real third-party report = instant rejection by most buyers. Fake reports can destroy a company. This usually happens when launch dates are tight or someone wants to save testing money.

How to fix it:

• Finish FDA/LFGB testing before full production starts
• Keep original SGS or TÜV reports ready for audits
• Include a signed Declaration of Compliance with every shipment

7. Bad Color Choices – Color Bleeds into Food

Some bright pigments are not food-approved. They migrate into food, especially fatty or hot food.

How to fix it:

• Only use color masterbatches listed in FDA 21 CFR 177.2600
• Test colored parts under hot-fat conditions
• Prefer stable inorganic pigments

8. Dirty Cleaning and Packaging After Production

All the careful work is wasted if the final product gets contaminated at the end. Sharing packaging lines with industrial parts is a common problem.

How to fix it:

• Pack food-grade items in a separate clean area
• Use only food-safe PE bags and clean boxes
• Clean parts with ultrasonic + IPA in at least Class 100,000 room 
  

9. Sharp Flash Edges on Baby and Kitchen Items

Leftover thin flash can cut mouths or fingers. This is very serious for pacifiers and spatulas. Designers often copy industrial drawings without adding safety radii.

How to fix it:

• Require minimum 0.5 mm fillet radius on every edge
• Build tear-trim features into the mold
• Check every single finished piece by eye

10. No Real-Life Durability Tests (Dishwasher, Microwave, Boiling)

Lab tests don’t show cracking after 500 dishwasher cycles or deformation in the microwave. Many factories never run these tests.

How to fix it:

• Run minimum 1000 dishwasher cycles at 70 °C with real detergent
• Boil parts in water for 5 minutes
• Microwave 10 minutes at 1000 W with oily food simulant
• Take clear before/after photos as proof

Food-grade silicone from CASINDA is not just “silicone with better material.” It demands a completely different attitude in every step—from design to packing. Treat it like medical-grade work. That is the only way to keep certifications, customers, and end-users safe.

よくある質問

Q: What is the main difference between industrial silicone and food grade silicone?

A: Food grade silicone uses platinum curing, certified raw materials (FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 or LFGB), and must pass strict migration tests. Industrial silicone usually has peroxide curing and fillers that can leak into food.

Q: Is “platinum-cured” automatically food grade silicone?

A: No. Platinum-cured is just the curing type. The polymer, fillers, and pigments must also be food-approved and pass migration tests.

Q: Can the same mold be used for both industrial and food grade silicone products?

A: Better not. Traces of old release agents or industrial material can stay behind even after cleaning. Food-grade runs should have dedicated molds or permanent food-safe coatings.

Q: How often should food grade silicone products be re-tested?

A: Any change in material, supplier, or color needs new migration tests. If nothing changes, third-party re-check once a year plus batch testing is normal practice.