EU proposes mineral oil limits of 2 mg/kg in olive oil and 10 mg/kg in pomace oil from 2026

The Head of the Alcohol and Food Division of the State General Chemistry of Greece, Dr. Dionysia Stefanitsi, has called for serious action against the contamination of olive oil with mineral or paraffin oil hydrocarbons. She highlighted that while saturated hydrocarbons, which are mainly found in the liver, do not pose health risks, aromatic hydrocarbons are carcinogenic. The main source of contamination is the lubricants used in the equipment during the collection and processing of olives. The European Union is set to establish limits for aromatic hydrocarbons in all food categories, including olive oil and kernel oil, to be applied from 2026. Greece has requested a longer transition period to adjust to these limits and to provide detailed guidelines for professionals in the sector.

Mineral oil or paraffin oil hydrocarbons are contaminants of olive oil and we will deal with them seriously in the future. The Head of the Alcohol and Food Division of the State General Chemistry (AADE) Dr. Dionysia Stefanitsi, at the SEVITEL event, which took place on Thursday (26/9), at the Athens Chamber of Commerce (BEA). As EFSA reports, those relevant to food safety are saturated and aromatic paraffinic hydrocarbons. Regarding the risk, the saturated ones (concentrate mainly in the liver) from the studies that have been done, it seems that they do not cause health problems. On the contrary, the aromatic hydrocarbons of paraffin oils create a carcinogenic effect in humans and we must control them. As pointed out by Dr. Dionysia Stefanitsi, one of the main sources of their presence in olive oil is the lubricants of the equipment used during the collection and processing of the olive fruit. It is also often detected in the sacks where the fruit is gathered. The authorities ...