Migration of mineral hydrocarbons into foods. 5. Miscellaneous applications of mineral hydrocarbons in food contact materials

Polystyrene and acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrenes (ABS) containers for individual serving portions (80 samples of milk, cream, butter, margarine and spreads) used in the catering industry were found to contain 1-4% mineral oil. Levels of mineral oil migrating into the foods were generally low (< 5-15 mg/kg) except in one instance where levels of 45-85 mg/kg were detected in a low fat spread, and this was attributed to mineral hydrocarbon transfer from an adhesive used in the lidding. Analysis of wine bottle corks (105 samples from 11 different countries) indicated that 50% had been treated with mineral wax or mineral oil, although in all cases mineral hydrocarbon contamination of the wine was < 0.2 mg/l. Waxed paper discs sold for home-use for covering the surface of jams and preserves were found to be coated with 100 mg/dm2 of mineral hydrocarbons. However, in experiments with a variety of jams and preserves levels of migration were not significant, ranging from 0.15 to 1.2 mg/kg.