A fresh controversy surrounds everyday foods, as consumer watchdog Foodwatch raises the alarm. Out of 152 tested products, one in eight—that's 12.5%—contain industrial mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH), described as "dangerous to health yet invisible to the naked eye." These contaminants were detected in products from Germany, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, and France, with 19 items showing MOAH presence. Foodwatch notes that the "European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) warns any exposure to these aromatic hydrocarbons via food poses a risk."
Mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAHs) are "suspected carcinogens and mutagens," with evidence of endocrine disruption affecting hormonal systems. Pinpointing contamination sources is challenging, but risks appear at every production stage. Mineral oils are commonly used "as anti-dust agents, lubricants in machinery, release agents, polishing compounds, or in adhesives."
This isn't Foodwatch's first warning on MOAHs. In 2015, six out of 10 tested grain products (rice, couscous, lentils, cornflakes, pasta) carried carcinogenic risks from MOAH. In 2019, "concerning levels" appeared in 16 French baby milks. The group now urges "zero-tolerance regulation for MOAHs in all European foods."
