EFSA Issues Opinion on Dietary Exposure to Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued a scientific opinion on
dietary exposure to mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) found mainly in “food
packaging materials, food additives, processing aids, and environmental
contaminants such as lubricants.” According to a June 6, 2012, press release,
EFSA’s Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) focused on two
types of MOH: (i) aromatic hydrocarbons identified as potentially genotoxic
and carcinogenic; and (ii) saturated hydrocarbons that “can accumulate in
human tissue and may cause adverse effects in the liver.”

The CONTAM Panel apparently found low levels of saturated MOH in all of
the food groups tested, “with some high levels found in ‘Bread and rolls’ and
‘Grains for human consumption’ due to their use, respectively, as release/
non-sticking agents and spraying agents (used to make grains shiny).” It also
reported the presence of both saturated and aromatic MOH in dry foods such
as “‘pudding’ dessert mixes and noodles,” attributed to the use of recycled
paper/cardboard packaging for these products.

“MOH contamination of food by the use of recycled paperboard as packaging material may be a significant source of dietary exposure,” stated the CONTAM Panel, which urged EFSA to revisit the temporary Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) of saturated MOH and flagged aromatic MOH “as being of potential concern” given its alleged toxicity. “[MOH] can be effectively prevented by the inclusion of functional barriers into the packaging assembly. Other measures may include segregation of recovery fiber sources intended for recycling and the increasing of the recyclability of food packages by avoiding the use of materials and substances with MOH in the production of food packages.”