Workstation MOSH/Moah in foodstuff, cosmetics and packagings
Foodstuffs and cosmetics are frequently found to contain undesired mineral oil residues, which are added intentionally or originate in many cases from production processes or packaging materials. A migration of hydrocarbons into the foodstuffs can occur in particular through the use of printing inks containing mineral oils. This effect is found more with recycled packaging, but also when using pack aging containing fresh fibers. The prerequisite for this migration is unhindered contact between food and pack aging, as is the case with a large number of foodstuffs such as rice, for example. In many products there is a particular increase in the concentration of MOSH – mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons and MOAH – mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons. Hydro carbons that lie in the boiling range between C16 and C25 are considered to be particularly migration-intensive. The health concerns in relation to this contamination of foodstuffs have already been clearly stated in December 2009 by the German Federal Institute of Risk Assessment (Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung or BfR).
