On 17 January 2017, the Official Journal of the Europe Union has released Recommendation (EU) 2017/84 on the monitoring of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) in food and in materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.

Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) are chemical compounds derived mainly from crude oil, but also produced synthetically from coal, natural gas and biomass. MOH can be present in food through environmental contamination, lubricants for machinery used during harvesting and food production, processing aids, food additives and food contact materials. Food grade MOH products are treated in a way that the mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) content is minimised. The migration from food contact materials such as paper and board packaging is suspected to contribute significantly to the total MOH exposure.

Pursuant to Recommendation (EU) 2017/84, the European Council gives the following recommendation:

1. Member states should monitor the presence of MOH in food during 2017 and 2018;

The monitoring should cover animal fat, bread and rolls, fine bakery ware, breakfast cereals, confectionery (including chocolate) and cocoa, fish meat, fish products (canned fish), grains for human consumption, ices and desserts, oilseeds, pasta, products derived from cereals, pulses, sausages, tree nuts, vegetable oils, as well as food contact materials used for those products.

2. Develop a specific guidance for better application of the recommendation;

3. Member States should perform food sampling (including a proportionate number of pre-packaged foods) in accordance with the provisions laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 333/2007.

4. The samples should be analysed as marketed.

For pre-packaged food, the level of mineral oil hydrocarbons should be determined both in the food and in the food contact material if that is the suspected source of detected MOH.

5. Where MOH are detected in food, Member States should carry out further investigations in the food business establishments in order to determine the possible source or sources.

6. Where MOH are detected in or originate from food contact materials, Member States should collect data on the food contact material and carry out further investigations in the establishments of the manufacturers, processors and distributors of food contact materials to establish the systems operated by the businesses concerned as indicated in the guidance.

7. All interested parties should provide to EFSA the monitoring data expressed on whole mass basis with the information and in the electronic reporting format as set out by EFSA for compilation into a single database.

The EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 poses requirements for some additives for plastic food contact materials that involving MOHS; Swiss regulation specifies that MOAH in printing oil is not safely assessed substance and the migration is less than 0.01 mg/kg; In 2014, German BMELV &BfR publishes legislation draft which sets migration limits for MOH in food contact paper and board (recycled paper): MOSH≤24mg/1kg; MOAH≤6mg/kg.

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