20.08.2014

New draft ordinance on mineral oils

The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection has presented a new draft ordinance on mineral oils.

The 22nd ordinance amending the food contact material regulation of 24 July 2014 intends to limit the concentration of MOSH and MOAH in food contact materials that are made from recycled paper. According to this, they may only be put on the market if they do not exceed the maximum levels of 24 mg of MOSH and 6 mg of MOAH per kg of paper, paperboard or cardboard. The carbon range these concentrations refer to depends on the respective intended use. In food contact materials used for storing dry and non-greasy foods at room temperature or below they would apply to a carbon range of C16 to C25, and to a range of C16 to C35 in all other food contact materials.

Furthermore, the draft specifies that food contact materials exceeding the stated maximum levels may still be marketed if the amount transferred to the food is no more than 2 mg of MOSH and no more than 0.5 mg of MOAH per kilogramme of food. The party marketing the food contact materials must in this case provide documents that explain how these requirements are met. This may be done by: stating the conditions and results of any migration tests and calculations performed, including model calculations, describing other analyses performed, or any other methods that prove conformity. These also include documentation proving that the respective food contact material contains a functional barrier.

ifp Institut für Produktqualität analyses food and food contact materials for mineral oil as a service.