Viscosity	Molecular size	E.g. found in	Food contact	Health risk
1.	Low	Small	H1 lubricants	No	High
2.	High	Large	3H lubricants	Yes	Low

Low-viscosity MOSH are potentially dangerous if ingested. They can be found in H1 lubricants for food producing equipment, among other things. H1 lubricants are made from technical white oils and they are not intended for food contact. If food contact occurs, the food should be disposed of. Regulators have posed very strict limits on the concentration of technical white oils in food.

According to Andreas Adam, the Chairman of the Food Grade Lubricants Working Group, the liver toxicity effects of low-viscosity MOSH were only observed in a certain species of rats, which some researchers suggest may be a “false positive” for humans.

High-viscosity MOSH can be found in 3H lubricants, for example. These lubricants are made from medicinal white oils. They are food additives, such as mold release agents, and intended for direct food contact. They pose a lower health risk compared to the previous group, but the upper limits are also strictly regulated.

Toxicological aspects of MOAH

In terms of toxicology, MOAH should be divided in two subcategories, based on the amount of PAC (polycyclic aromatic compound) “rings”:

1. MOAH with three or more PAC
2. MOAH with one or two PAC

The former is potentially carcinogenic and genotoxic, while the latter is relatively harmless. According to Andreas Adam, MOAH with three or more PAC is present in crude oil, but gets removed from mineral oil in the refining process.

MOAH is absorbed by the human body, but does not bioaccumulate.

Keep MOSH and MOAH out!

Do you need innovative, high-performance packaging materials that can help you drastically reduce MOSH and MOAH migration into food? Contact our packaging experts and ask for EVAL™ EVOH and KURARAY POVAL™.

How are MOSH and MOAH regulated?

To date, there are no uniform legal limits. Within the EU, the EU General Food Law Regulation No. 178/2002 and the Framework Regulation (EU) No. 1935/2004 apply, which broadly state that unsafe food should not be placed on the market.

USA: Technical white oil limits

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set a maximum limit of 10 ppm for technical white oil. This particularly targets the harmful low-viscosity MOSH, e.g. found in the aforementioned H1 lubricants.

Germany: MOSH guidance values

The German Food Association (Lebensmittelverband Deutschland e. V.) and the Joint Federal Working Group on Consumer Health Protection (Länderarbeitsgemeinschaft gesundheitlicher Verbraucherschutz, LAV) have published guidance values for MOSH limits in certain product categories for the first time in April 2019.

German Printing Ink Ordinance (Druckfarbenverordnung)

In Germany, there is a printing ink regulation that all federal states approved in November 2021. There is a transitional period of four years. The centerpiece of this regulation is a positive list that enumerates all colorants and their maximum allowable amounts for safe use. To be included in the list, there must be sufficient toxicological data on the colorant’s health hazards.

German Mineral Oil Ordinance (Mineralölverordnung)

The German Mineral Oil Ordinance (Mineralölverordnung) aims to hinder the transfer of MOAH from recycled paper packaging into food. To achieve this, the regulation mandates the use of “functional barriers”. Aluminum, certain plastics like PET or PA and certain other materials are capable of forming such a functional barrier. The barrier may take be in the form of an additional layer or bag. Exceptions are possible under certain circumstances.

The ordinance establishes a MOAH detection limit of up to 0.5 mg/kg food. In other words, MOAH concentrations of less than 0.5 mg/kg are regarded as “undetectable”.

EU: MOAH guidance values

So far, there are only recommendations from European authorities regarding the transfer of MOAH to food. In April 2022, a committee of the European Union reached an agreement on the draft “Joint statement of the Member States regarding the presence of Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MOAH) in food”.

The proposal includes a categorization of dry foods with a fat/oil content of up to 4%, where a limit of 0.5 mg/kg of MOAH would be permissible. For the second group of foods with a fat/oil content above this threshold, a limit of up to 1 mg/kg of MOAH would apply.

How can packaging protect food from MOSH and MOAH?

Kuraray is a specialty raw material supplier for plastic and paper packaging applications. Our materials, in conjunction with other packaging materials, can form a functional barrier that can effectively seal off MOSH and MOAH.

Contact for business

Thermoplastic starch (TPS): A green, biodegradable plastic

Author Dr. Bettina Plaumann

As pollution from petroleum-based plastics has continued to grow, so has interest in biodegradable materials capable of replacing these synthetic, single-use plastics. Thermoplastic starches, or TPSs*, are an increasingly popular solution to the challenge of sustainable plastics. These materials are biodegradable, come from inexpensive and renewable sources, and can be processed with methods and machinery already in use for synthetic plastics.

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of thermoplastic starches, their advantages and disadvantages, and many of the types of thermoplastic starch and thermoplastic starch blends that are available today.

*Not to be confused with thermoplastic styrene, a petroleum-based thermoplastic elastomer.

Thermoplastic starch blends

To address the disadvantages of thermoplastic starch, it is often blended with other polymers to control and improve its properties. By combining strong but expensive polymers with abundant and sustainable TPS, manufacturers can produce a low-cost, effective biodegradable plastic.

Starch x PLA

PLA is a renewable polyester that forms highly flexible films but is both expensive and brittle. Blends of TPS and PLA aim to eliminate the mechanical downsides of TPS while reducing brittleness and cost. TPS and PLA don’t mix well inherently, but can be effectively blended through co-plasticization and additives such as epoxidized vegetable oils. The resulting plastic has improved strength and is fully biodegradable.

Thermoplastic starch incorporated with natural fiber

Biopolymer composites like TPS blends are often strengthened with fibers, which were once mostly synthetic materials such as glass and carbon. Today, natural fibers, especially those sourced from plants, are an increasingly attractive option for many applications. They offer advantages in tensile properties, safety, and biodegradability, as well as lower density, cost, and energy use.

Cellulose fiber

The addition of specially prepared cellulose nanofibers to TPS has several mechanical benefits, including higher tensile strength, lower density, improved water resistance, and improved thermal resistance. Additionally, both starch and cellulose are widely available, renewable, and biodegradable.

Sugarcane fiber

Thanks to the vast quantities of sugarcane produced around the world, sugarcane fiber is an excellent candidate for combination with TPS. Composites of sugarcane fiber and TPS have enhanced tensile strength and water resistance. However, the qualities of the sugarcane used, such as species and age, may affect the quality of the resulting material, making sugarcane a less preferable option.

Cassava bagasse fiber

Cassava is a widely used staple crop that produces a solid, fibrous byproduct known as cassava bagasse. Like many other natural plant fibers, cassava fibers have strong intermolecular interactions with starches, which improve the tensile strength and water resistance of the final plastic.