{"id":13552,"date":"2026-10-05T11:17:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T08:17:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/?p=13552"},"modified":"2026-10-07T11:25:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T08:25:27","slug":"eu-moah-limits-food-regulation-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/eu-moah-limits-food-regulation-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"EU Adopts Binding MOAH Limits in Food for the First Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) approved on <strong>13 May 2026<\/strong> a draft amendment to <a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX%3A02023R0915-20251008\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Regulation (EU) 2023\/915<\/a> (the European Contaminants Regulation) that, for the first time, establishes binding maximum levels for <strong>mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH)<\/strong> in food. Final adoption by the European Commission is targeted for the end of October 2026, with the first limits entering into force in 2027.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_87 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/eu-moah-limits-food-regulation-2026\/#Categories_Affected_by_the_New_Limits\" >Categories Affected by the New Limits<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/eu-moah-limits-food-regulation-2026\/#New_Sampling_and_Analysis_requirements\" >New Sampling and Analysis requirements<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/eu-moah-limits-food-regulation-2026\/#MOSH_Monitoring_Recommendation\" >MOSH Monitoring Recommendation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/eu-moah-limits-food-regulation-2026\/#Relevance_for_the_Packaging_Sector\" >Relevance for the Packaging Sector<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/eu-moah-limits-food-regulation-2026\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">MOAH are a complex group of substances found in mineral oils, with genotoxic and potentially carcinogenic properties. They can migrate into food from packaging materials, printing inks, adhesives, recycled paperboard and other sources in the supply chain. Until now, the EU had no legally binding limits. Enforcement relied on indicative levels issued by the SCoPAFF in 2022, which served as guidance for food control authorities but did not carry the force of law.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Categories_Affected_by_the_New_Limits\"><\/span><strong>Categories Affected by the New Limits<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/transparency\/comitology-register\/screen\/documents\/115270\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">draft amendment<\/a> establishes specific maximum levels for MOAH (C10-C50) across a wide range of food categories:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>Oilseeds and oil fruits<\/li>\n<li>Fats, oils and products with more than 50 % fat<\/li>\n<li>Tree nuts and pulses<\/li>\n<li>Cereals and cereal products (limits varying by fat content)<\/li>\n<li>Milk and dairy products (limits varying by fat content)<\/li>\n<li>Cocoa beans, cocoa mass and cocoa powder<\/li>\n<li>Spices, dried herbs, tea and herbal tea as ingredients in food<\/li>\n<li>Baby food and infant formula (limits varying by fat content)<\/li>\n<li>Food supplements<\/li>\n<li>Composite food containing listed raw materials (from 2030, limits varying by fat content)<\/li>\n<li>Composite food containing more than 15 % spices, dried herbs, tea or herbal tea (from 2030)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is the first harmonized EU-wide legal framework for limiting MOAH in food. The limits replace the indicative SCoPAFF levels from 2022 and in many cases set higher thresholds. The previous indicative levels were derived from analytical limits of quantification rather than toxicological assessment.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"New_Sampling_and_Analysis_requirements\"><\/span><strong>New Sampling and Analysis requirements<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alongside the MOAH limits, the SCoPAFF also approved an <a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/transparency\/comitology-register\/screen\/documents\/115271\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">amendment to Regulation (EU) No 333\/2007<\/a> that, for the first time, incorporates specific requirements for the sampling and analysis of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A notable change is the introduction of a <strong>higher limit of quantification (LOQ)<\/strong> for analytically complex matrices. For products such as spices, herbs, essential oils, food supplements and marine oils, an LOQ of up to <strong>5 mg\/kg<\/strong> will be accepted. For other product categories, lower LOQ thresholds apply, down to <strong>0.5 mg\/kg<\/strong> for dry, low fat foods and <strong>1 mg\/kg<\/strong> for foods with moderate fat content.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For complex cases, the regulation calls for advanced characterization using comprehensive two-dimensional <strong>gas chromatography<\/strong> coupled with mass spectrometry (GCxGC-MS\/FID), in line with EFSA&#8217;s 2023 scientific opinion on mineral oil hydrocarbons.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-13547\" src=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1.3-1024x768.png\" alt=\"Stack of recyclable paper and cardboard food packaging items, including egg cartons, takeaway boxes, paper cups, wooden cutlery and napkins, arranged on a white background \u2013 materials commonly tested for MOSH and MOAH mineral oil contamination\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1.3-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1.3-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1.3-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1.3.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"MOSH_Monitoring_Recommendation\"><\/span><strong>MOSH Monitoring Recommendation<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The legislative package also includes a <strong>monitoring recommendation<\/strong> for mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and MOAH for the period 2026-2029. While MOSH was assessed by EFSA as not posing a health concern at current dietary exposure levels, indicative levels will be established to support ongoing risk minimization efforts. The MOAH monitoring will cover product categories not included in the new maximum levels regulation, such as coffee, processed fruit and vegetables and flavorings.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Relevance_for_the_Packaging_Sector\"><\/span><strong>Relevance for the Packaging Sector<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For packaging producers and food manufacturers, the new MOAH limits have direct practical implications, since MOAH contamination in food frequently originates from packaging materials. Recycled paperboard, printing inks, mineral oil-based adhesives and direct contact with lubricated machinery parts are well-documented sources.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The transition from indicative levels to binding maximum levels changes the compliance landscape. Under the indicative system, MOAH findings above the SCoPAFF thresholds triggered investigation and corrective action but did not automatically render a product non-compliant. Under binding maximum levels, exceedances will constitute a regulatory violation subject to enforcement.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For companies supplying food contact packaging materials, this reinforces the need for MOSH\/MOAH testing as part of routine quality assurance, particularly for recycled paperboard, where mineral oil contamination from recycled newspaper inks has historically been a significant source of MOAH migration into food. The fat\/oil content-based limits of quantification are directly relevant for assessing MOAH Migration from packaging into food.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The adoption of binding MOAH limits marks the end of a regulatory process that began with EFSA&#8217;s first opinion in 2012. For the packaging industry, the practical message is that MOAH migration from packaging into food is now subject to enforceable limits rather than guidance. Companies that have already implemented MOSH\/MOAH testing and functional barrier strategies are well positioned. \u03a4hose that have not should review their packaging materials and testing protocols before the limits enter into force in 2027.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Pack-Lab&#8217;s <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/chemical-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>chemical analysis services<\/em><\/a><em> include MOSH\/MOAH testing for food contact materials and packaging. <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Contact us<\/em><\/a><em> to discuss your testing requirements.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The SCoPAFF has approved binding maximum levels for MOAH in food across a wide range of categories, replacing the indicative levels from 2022. The limits are expected to enter into force in 2027.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,540],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","category-regulations-policy-en","category-28","category-540","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13552"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13554,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13552\/revisions\/13554"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}