The consumer group Foodwatch claims that many food products sold across Europe are contaminated with mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAHs). The organization tested 152 food products from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, and one in eight was contaminated with the mineral oils. Stock cubes, chocolate, and spreads were among the products found to be contaminated.  The potential source of the contamination is unclear. According to the European Commission, MOAHs are of potential concern for human health, and EFSA believes a certain fraction of these may act as genotoxic carcinogens. While Foodwatch calls for a zero-tolerance policy on these mineral oils, EFSA is working on an update of its 2012 opinion on MOAHs in food.

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Posted on 7 January 2022