The EU has taken an important step towards regulating mineral oil hydrocarbons in food. On 13 May 2026, the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) adopted a draft amendment to the European Contaminants Regulation (EU) 2023/915. This draft introduces, for the first time, binding maximum levels for aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH) in food. The draft is currently undergoing the legislative procedure in the European Parliament and the Council. Final adoption is expected in autumn 2026. The new regulations are due to come into force on 1 January 2027.
The proposed maximum levels apply to numerous food categories, including, for example, oils and fats, cereal products, dairy products, cocoa products, infant formula, food supplements, and spices and herbs.
For foods for which no maximum level is set under the proposed draft, the ‘Joint Statement on the Presence of MOAH in Food, including Food for Infants and Young Children’ (19 October 2022) remains in force.
In addition to the planned maximum levels for MOAH, the package of measures for the years 2026 to 2029 provides for EU-wide monitoring of saturated mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH). To this end, guideline values have been set for a wide range of foodstuffs, which will serve as triggers for investigations to identify the source of contamination. Measures to minimise risk are to be further developed on the basis of the data collected.
Monitoring is also planned for aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH). This is intended in particular to cover foodstuffs not covered by the planned statutory MOAH maximum levels, such as coffee, tea, fruit or vegetables.
Furthermore, an amendment to Regulation (EC) No 333/2007 is intended to introduce, for the first time, uniform EU-wide requirements for the sampling and analysis of mineral oil hydrocarbons.
Among other things, an additional limit of quantification (LOQ) is envisaged. For analytically complex foods such as spices, herbs, flavourings or food supplements, adjusted limits of quantification (LOQ) are to apply in future, which will no longer depend exclusively on the fat content of the product in question.
Minutes of the SCoPAFF meeting on 13 June 2026:
https://food.ec.europa.eu/document/download/98e56c83-d4e6-4914-81fe-010e686116fe_en?filename=reg-com_toxic_20260513_sum.pdf
Draft maximum levels for MOAH:
https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/comitology-register/screen/documents/115270/1/consult
Draft recommendation on the monitoring of petroleum hydrocarbons:
https://food.ec.europa.eu/document/download/c0a9efe9-0a65-4906-979f-8e34d224a1eb_en?filename=cs_contaminants_catalogue_sante-plan_a-01_2023-2727-rev-8.pdf
Draft procedure for the sampling and analysis of mineral oil hydrocarbons:
https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/comitology-register/screen/documents/115271/1/consult
