Oils and waxes in packaging pose no health risk

Wednesday 29 January 2003

People's health is unlikely to be affected by the transfer of oils and waxes from food packaging into food, an Agency survey has found.

The amounts of mineral hydrocarbons from oils and waxes that would be consumed via our food have been found to be within safety limits defined by independent, international experts.

These conclusions were made following a survey by the Agency into the types and amounts of mineral hydrocarbons in food contact materials and into the amounts that might migrate from packaging into food.

The survey tested a wide variety of retail samples of packaging and food because mineral hydrocarbons might transfer into food from several sources, for example wax used on some corks and on bread and confectionery wrappers, or lubricating oil used in making cans.

Mineral hydrocarbons were found in 42 out of 64 samples of materials or articles in contact with food. Levels varied depending on the type of packaging.

The research concluded that consumer intakes of wax and oils migrating into food were within ranges of Acceptable Daily Intakes set by the European Union’s Scientific Committee for Food, and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives.