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EU sets maximum MOAH levels to protect human health

The EU will adopt maximum levels for mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in food to protect human health. What do manufacturers need to know?

After years of investigation, EU member states agreed on 13 May 2026 to set maximum levels for mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAHs).

At a glance:

• The EU sets maximum allowed levels for MOAHs in food to address potential health risks.
• New rules specify temporary higher limits for edible oils until 2030.
• Food producers must review and update their production processes to prevent MOAH contamination and protect consumer safety.

The agreed uniform limits of quantification (LOQs) for food are 0.50, 1.0, or 2.0 mg per kilo, depending on the product's fat content.

The decision to set maximum levels follows the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) updated risk assessment of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food in 2023.

It concluded that “dietary exposure to total MOAH raises concerns for human health due to the presence of genotoxic carcinogens”, a European Commission official told Ingredients Network.

MOAHs are found in many foods, including cereals, crisps, ready-to-eat meals, salads, dairy products, chocolate, canned fish, legumes, nuts, seeds, oils, baby foods, and vegetable oils. The are present “mostly in processed and compound foods”, said the European Commission official.

Temporary higher MLs for certain foods have been established to address stakeholder and third-country comments. These will be gradually reduced by 1 January 2030.

Edible oils have been identified as a distinct category. “For certain edible oils, a large part of the production cannot yet comply with a maximum level at the LOQ,” the European Commission official said.

MOAHs are petrol-derived contaminants

The new maximum levels mean producers will need to review their processes and final products to avoid MOAHs in food. For example, MOAHs can enter the food system via the leakage of motor oil or lubricants into food, mineral oil-treated jute bags, or contact with exhaust fumes or combustion fumes.

Producers will need to guarantee that these have been avoided during the production process.

“Even though mitigation measures to avoid the presence of MOAH in food may come with a certain cost, this is necessary to avoid the exposure of consumers to these carcinogenic substances,” the European Commission’s spokesperson said.

Baby food, chocolate, and cereals are major MOAH sources

In 2023, ESFA identified baby food, chocolate, cereals and vegetable oils as the main sources of MOAH exposure.

Furthermore, the Authority stated that one type of MOAH had been found to potentially contain genotoxic substances that can cause damage to cells and may cause cancer. As a result, safe levels could not be established.

Now, three years later, the EU has decided that maximum levels are necessary for these petroleum-derived contaminating substances.

The maximum levels were established based on occurrence data, applying the ‘As Low As Reasonably Achievable’ principle and good practices at all stages of production.

“This means that producers can ensure the compliance of their product by following good practices to avoid contamination, and that the impact on the market should be limited,” the European Commission official added.

The Commission has introduced a deferred application date to avoid hampering the food supply and to grant food business operators more time to take the necessary measures to prevent MOAH from being present in their production. These measures are designed to balance protecting consumers from the health risks of MOAH in food against allowing oil producers more time to implement mitigation measures to prevent MOAH contamination.