West Agro Inc.

Michael W Griffith

Elsie L Winicov

Thomas C Hemling

Chris Foret

Elizabeth L Lenahan

Cynthia Palmer

Improved conveyor lubricants are provided which are compatible with thermoplastic articles such as containers made of polyalkylene terephthalates. The lubricants are essentially free of oil and include a nonionic surfactant (e.g., a nonylphenol ethoxylates) dispersed in water where the surfactant has a molecular weight of at least about 1000 and contains at least about 12 ethylene oxide moieties therein. The surfactant should preferably comprise at least about 50% by weight of the non-aqueous components of lubricant concentrates and use dilutions. In use, the concentrates are diluted and sprayed or otherwise applied onto handling equipment for the thermoplastic articles. The use dilution surfactants of the invention give very advantageous lubricity ratio and crazing values, making them eminently suited for use with PET containers.

Conveyor lubricants which are compatible with pet containers

Strong acid cleaning compositions supplemented with stable, protein-reactive staining dyes are provided which can be used for the acid clean-up of metallic food processing equipment while also giving a visual indication of residual soils on equipment surfaces. The compositions are provided as dilutable concentrates including water, a staining dye and at least about 5% by weight of a strong inorganic acid; the dye is stable in the concentrate under storage at 25.degree. C. for at least about 3 months. The concentrates are diluted in water at the point of use and in such form have a pH of up to about 4. The preferred concentrates of the invention include water, from about 10%-50% by weight of an acid mixture comprising phosphoric, sulfuric and nitric acids, and Acid Violet 19 dye.

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Kansas City, KS, United States of America

Michael W Griffith