Navigating Compliance and Corrosion Prevention in Food Industry Boilers
May 12, 2026
Cortec® is encouraging food and beverage processing facilities to take advantage of three boiler preservation technologies that can now be used in the food industry. Over the last few years, Cortec’s Boiler Lizard®, Boiler Egg™, and VpCI® Chameleon™ have received NSF G6 or G7 certifications, helping facility managers balance easy, effective corrosion protection with regulatory compliance.
Meeting Higher Standards for Food Safety
Scott Bryan, a Certified Water Technologist who serves as Cortec’s Director of Business Development—Water Treatment, recently explained the additional responsibilities facing food and beverage facility managers: “Their primary concern is ensuring the boiler is protected while offline and can be returned to service without complications, delays, or risk to product quality. In food and beverage facilities, these decisions also carry an added layer of responsibility: protecting the boiler without compromising food safety or regulatory compliance.”
What Is the Difference between NSF G6 or G7 Certifications?
When choosing a boiler water treatment, those working in the food and beverage industry must understand the purpose and flow path of the steam produced.
- Boilers whose steam does not come into contact with food (e.g., boilers used for facility heating, power generation, or other mechanical processes) can use NSF G7 certified products.
- Boilers used to produce steam that will come into direct contact with food (e.g., sterilization or cooking processes) must use corrosion inhibitors certified to meet NSF G6.
Corrosion Protection for NSF G7 Applications
For decades, Cortec’s Boiler Lizard® has been inhibiting corrosion inside boilers during seasonal dry layup or temporary shutdown to minimize metal degradation and the leaks, repairs, and other complications that follow. Boiler Lizard® is easy to use and can be dissolved in the refill water—similar to its companion, the Boiler Egg™, which fights oxygen pitting at startup. Both technologies are G7 certified, making them excellent options to promote the integrity of boiler systems that are completely shut down.
Corrosion Protection for NSF G6 Applications
The VpCI® Chameleon™ is Cortec’s newest food industry boiler technology. With NSF G6 certification, this corrosion inhibitor for wet layup can be added to idle boilers whose steam is used for sterilization, cooking, or other processes that bring steam into contact with food. Unlike traditional wet layup chemistry, VpCI® Chameleon™ does not require frequent monitoring and chemistry adjustments, minimizing corrosion complications by preserving metal surfaces above and below the water level—no removal needed at startup.
More Than Just Corrosion Control
As Bryan explained, “In food and beverage operations, boiler preservation isn’t just about corrosion control—it’s about protecting food safety and regulatory compliance at the same time. Water treatment service providers who understand and apply NSF G6 and G7 standards help their customers reduce risk, simplify audits, and confidently preserve critical assets without compromising product integrity.” Contact Cortec® to learn more about corrosion prevention in food industry boilers: productinfo@cortecvci.com.
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