WEINHEIM, Germany—From a quantitative standpoint, mineral oil is probably the largest contaminant in our bodies. An editorial in the European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology reflects on the contaminant and its effect on the human body, and concludes that proof either has to be provided or we have to take measures to reduce our exposure from all sources, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and the environment.
Recently, around 100,000 tons of Ukrainian sunflower oil were contaminated with mineral oil at concentrations often above 1,000 mg/kg. Much of the contaminated oil was withdrawn, but there are products on the market that were produced before this contamination was detected. This autumn there are still several 10,000 tons of contaminated oil in the Ukraine and other parts of the world.
To protect consumers, a broad analytical campaign was initiated throughout Europe. The European Commission decided to apply a legal limit of 50 mg/kg to the mineral paraffins in Ukrainian sunflower oil, and in September 2008 it organized a workshop together with the Official Food Control Authority of Zurich, Switzerland, to promote this campaign.