Mineral Hydrocarbons in Food Contact Materials (Number 34/03)

• This survey was carried out to check on the types and amounts of mineral hydrocarbons in materials and articles in contact with food and to quantify the amount of these substances migrating from packaging into food.
• A wide range of mineral hydrocarbons was studied (those with carbon numbers in the range C16 to C40). Substances with carbon numbers C20 to C35 were mainly detected in packaging and food.
• Mineral hydrocarbons were found in 42 out of 64 samples of materials or articles in contact with food. Levels varied depending on the type of packaging. Eighteen out of 30 samples of polystyrene contained 9 to 47 g/kg of oil. Twelve out of 22 samples of waxed paper or board contained 0.4 to 452 g/kg of wax. All twelve samples of corks contained wax at 0.2 to 13 g/kg. Two of these samples of corks also contained oil at 2.1 and 5.7 g/kg.
• Mineral hydrocarbons migrated into food. They were found at up to 31 milligrams (mg)/kilogram (kg) in nine retail samples of food (five of bread and four of confectionery) that had been wrapped in waxed paper. Four cakes baked in a retail sample of waxed paper cases contained a mean level of 29 mg/kg of mineral hydrocarbons, the level being higher in the cake surface than in its centre. There was also evidence of oil left over after the manufacture of skinless sausages (5 out of 8 samples contained 2 to 28 mg oil/kg) and cans (1 out of 26 samples of canned food and beverages contained 8 mg/kg of oil).
• Migration of mineral hydrocarbons into food is not a health concern. Consumer intakes of wax and oils migrating into food were within ranges of Acceptable Daily Intakes set by the European Union's Scientific Committee for Food and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.