AGRINFO Webinar: Upcoming EU rules on mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH)
- Contaminants
- Food safety
Summary
Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) can contaminate the food chain at various stages from harvesting to processing. Because of the potential health risks to consumers, the EU will introduce new rules in 2027 to limit their presence in food – as discussed in our June 2025 webinars.
Webinar resources
View video recordings of the webinars here:
- Upcoming new EU rules on mineral oil hydrocarbons – English
- Prochaines réglementations de l'UE sur les hydrocarbures d'huiles minérales – French
- Próximos regulamentos da UE sobre hidrocarbonetos de óleo mineral – Portuguese
- Próximas nuevas normas de la ue sobre hidrocarburos de aceites minerales – Spanish
AGRINFO webinar explains new EU rules on mineral oil hydrocarbons, coming in 2026–2027
Upcoming EU rules on mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) – webinars June 2025
Update
Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) can contaminate the food chain at various stages from harvesting to processing. Because of the potential health risks to consumers, the EU will introduce new rules in 2027 to limit their presence in food – as discussed in our June 2025 webinars.
Webinar resources
View video recordings of the webinars here:
- Upcoming new EU rules on mineral oil hydrocarbons – English
- Prochaines réglementations de l'UE sur les hydrocarbures d'huiles minérales – French
- Próximos regulamentos da UE sobre hidrocarbonetos de óleo mineral – Portuguese
- Próximas nuevas normas de la ue sobre hidrocarburos de aceites minerales – Spanish
What is changing?
As mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) are dangerous to humans, the EU is discussing setting maximum permitted levels of MOAH in food.
The EU Member States agreed in April 2022 that they should withdraw or recall products from the market where levels of MOAH are higher than the following limits of quantification (LOQ):
- 0.5 mg/kg for dry foods with a low fat/oil content (≤4% fat/oil)
- 1 mg/kg for foods with a higher fat/oil content (>4% fat/oil, ≤50% fat/oil)
- 2 mg/kg for fats/oils or foods with >50% fat/oil.
But these limits are not set in EU law. The EU now intends to reinforce these limits by putting maximum levels in law. This is expected to increase the food industry’s monitoring of MOAH.
Mineral oil hydrocarbons fall into two main classes:
- mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH)
- mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH).
The regulatory focus is mainly on MOAH, for which health risks have been identified due to their genotoxicity and carcinogenicity. Currently there are no EU limits for MOSH in food.
Timeline
The European Commission aims to adopt maximum levels for MOAH in 2026 that will apply from 2027.
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