AGRINFO Webinar: New EU rules for mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons

New EU rules on maximum levels for mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) – webinar in June 2026

Update

This webinar provides the latest information on the new European Union (EU) rules on mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) that are expected to apply from 1 January 2027.

Webinar resources

English

Questions and answers:

Questions arising from AGRINFO webinars on mineral oil hydrocarbons (June 2026)

Presentations:

• Part I – New maximum levels for MOAH, and recommendations on MOSH and MOAH
  Veerle Vanheusden, Directorate-General for Health & Food Safety, European Commission
• Part IIA and Part IIB – Preparing for MOH maximum levels
  Claus-Michael Brieber, Senior Quality Expert Food, Food Safety First

Video recording

French

Présentations:

• Partie I – Les nouvelles teneurs maximales pour le MOAH, et les recommandations concernant le MOSH et le MOAH
  Veerle Vanheusden, Directorate-General for Health & Food Safety, European Commission
• Partie IIA and Partie IIB – Comment se preparer à la mise en place des teneurs maximales en MOH
  Claus-Michael Brieber, Senior Quality Expert Food, Food Safety First

Enregistrement vidéo

Spanish

Presentaciones:

• Parte I – Los nuevos niveles máximos para el MOAH y las recomendaciones sobre el MOSH y el MOAH
  Veerle Vanheusden, Directorate-General for Health & Food Safety, European Commission
• Parte IIA and Parte IIB – Preparación para los niveles máximos de MOH
  Claus-Michael Brieber, Senior Quality Expert Food, Food Safety First

Grabación de vídeo

Impacted Products

Oilseeds and oil fruits, animal and vegetable fats and oils, tree nuts, pulses, cereals, milk, dairy products, cocoa beans, cocoa products, spices, dried herbs, dry tea and herbal infusions, food supplements, food additives, foods for infants and young children, compound and processed foods containing these ingredients

What is changing?

New EU rules establishing maximum levels for mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) have been approved in May 2026 by EU Member States, and are expected to be formally adopted by the EU in the second half of 2026. Most maximum levels will apply from 1 January 2027, but a later application date is likely for some products.

Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) comprise a diverse group of chemical compounds. They are mainly derived from crude oil, but they can also be produced synthetically from coal, natural gas, and biomass. MOH find their way into the food supply chain mostly during harvest, transport, processing, or packaging; environmental contamination can also be a source. This group of substances contains genotoxic carcinogens (substances that cause DNA mutations and for which there is no safe exposure threshold or dose), creating health risks for consumers.

Why?

In 2023, the European Food Safety Authority updated its risk assessment on MOH in food (EFSA 2023). The regulatory focus is mainly on MOAH, which EFSA considered to have potential genotoxic and carcinogenic activity.

Timeline

Most maximum levels will apply from 1 January 2027, but a later application date is likely for some products.

Resources