Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons Research Articles

Evidence for an accumulation of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) in human tissues: a re-evaluation of biopsy and autopsy data

AbstractConsumers are exposed to mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) e.g. through foodstuffs and cosmetics. Upon ingestion, MOH follow the absorption pathway of dietary lipids. Analytical chemistry has revealed the presence of the main fraction, designated as mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH), in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), liver, spleen, and adipose tissue. Recent results from animal studies raised concerns about a long-term, possibly irreversible accumulation of some MOSH in humans. To address this issue, we performed a statistical re-analysis of published biopsy and autopsy data regarding the age-dependence of MOSH levels in human tissue. MOSH concentrations in MLNs and adipose tissue showed a 1.2–1.4-fold increase per decade, pointing to very long-term accumulation in both tissues. There was no evidence for age-dependent MOSH concentrations in liver and spleen. There was no sex difference in the MOSH concentrations in MLNs, suggesting a similar oral exposure for men and women. On average, women had a 2.2–2.5-fold higher MOSH concentration in the liver, spleen and adipose tissue compared to men. This finding may point to a sex difference in metabolism, in line with animal data. The use of certain cosmetics was a relevant predictor in addition to age. Women that used cosmetics like lipstick, hand cream, and sun cream had an average 2.1-fold higher MOSH concentration in abdominal subcutaneous fat than non-users.

Determination of mineral oil hydrocarbon contamination in Citrus essential oils by using on-line liquid-gas chromatography: critical aspects.

The present manuscript reports and discusses critical issues related to the determination of mineral oil hydrocarbon contamination in Citrus essential oils (EOs); an on-line liquid-gas chromatography system equipped with a Y-interface was used (with no additional off-line step for pre-concentration). In total, eighteen samples were analyzed, specifically eleven cold-pressed (CP) and seven distilled EOs. With regard to the CP EOs, various degrees of mineral oilsaturated hydrocarbon (MOSH) contamination were detected, ranging between 10.7 and 338.4mgkg-1 (only one sample was MOSH-free); different MOSH sub-fractions were determined, with the > C25- ≤ C35 sub-fraction always present, with an average concentration of 74.5mgkg-1. Based on the EO composition, different sample amounts were injected to avoid the overloading of the LC column and consequently the GC one, thus leading to different limits of quantification (LoQ), which were either 2mgkg-1 (for bergamot EO) or 5mgkg-1 (for all the other investigated samples). For all samples, the mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbon level was always lower than the LoQ.

Corrigendum to <Toxic effects of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and relation to accumulation in rat liver [Food Chem. Toxicol. 123 (2019) 431–442]>

Corrigendum to <Toxic effects of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and relation to accumulation in rat liver [Food Chem. Toxicol. 123 (2019) 431–442]>

Safety assessment of 'waxes, paraffinic, refined, derived from petroleum-based or synthetic hydrocarbon feedstock, low viscosity' for use in food contact materials.

The EFSA Panelon Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP Panel) assessed the safety of the 'waxes, paraffinic, refined, derived from petroleum-based or synthetic hydrocarbon feedstock, low viscosity' (FCM No. 93), for which the uses were requested to be extended for articles in contact with fatty foods. Migration from low-density polyethylene samples containing 1% w/w of a representative wax was tested in food simulants. In fatty food simulants, the migration of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) ≤ C35 was 142mg/kg food, exceeding the overall migration limit for plastic FCM. Mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) with at least two rings are largely removed during the manufacturing process. Based on various lines of evidence, the Panelconcluded that any concern for the potential presence of MOAH with two or more conjugated aromatic rings can be ruled out. Based on the genotoxicity studies and on the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the substance does not raise a concern for genotoxicity. Available toxicokinetic data showed a limited accumulation of MOSH. No adverse effects were observed up to the highest tested dose of 9g/kg body weight per day in a 90-day repeated oral toxicity study in Sprague-Dawley rats. The available results showed that FCM No. 93 is devoid of endocrine activity. The provided information on chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity was limited and inadequate to reach conclusions on these endpoints. Therefore, the CEP Panelconcluded that under the intended and tested conditions of uses, the substance does not raise safety concern for the consumer if used to a level ensuring that its migration into food is no more than 5mg/kg.

The Mineral Oil Hydrocarbon Paradox in Olive Pomace Oils.

The aim of this work was to understand the actual content of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) in olive pomace oil in order to contribute to the monitoring requested by EFSA for the food groups making a relevant impact on human background exposure. Such information will complement both the information inferred from the limits established by the EU and the interpretation of the coming toxicological risk assessment. At the same time, the origin of such a group of compounds is discussed. From the raw material to the commercial product, olive pomace oils were sampled and analyzed at different points and/or conditions. Through the ultimate online HPLC-GC-FID system, we gathered information on the MOH concentrations and molecular mass profiles (C-fractions), and through GCxGC-TOF/MS, we identified the key structures that prove the innocuousness of the mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbon (MOAH) fraction. Our approaches provided chromatographic signals on the C10-C50 range, rendering 33-205 mg/kg mineral oil saturated hydrocarbon (MOSH) and 2-55 mg/kg MOAH in the commercial product. The results confirmed that the C25-C35 cut is the main fraction to which humans are exposed via olive pomace oil, showing concentrations highly dependent on the extraction process. Moreover, the identification of the main MOAH groups showed that in olive pomace oil, mainly 1- and 2-ring species were present, being virtually free of the carcinogenic 3-7 ring aromatics.

Automated workflow utilizing saponification and improved epoxidation for the sensitive determination of mineral oil saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons in edible oils and fats

Refined edible oils and fats are known to contain olefins resisting the typical epoxidation used for the sample preparation of mineral oil saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons (MOSH and MOAH). These olefins can be misinterpreted as MOAH and are therefore an important reason for inconsistent results between laboratories. Collaborative trials confirm this assumption for low MOAH contents near the quantitation limits regularly. In the scope of this work, a new epoxidation approach was developed. Persistent olefins in refined oils could be successfully epoxidized with performic acid. The reaction kinetics was investigated using model substances for biogenic olefins and MOAH. It was rationalized why certain olefins resist epoxidation and which MOAH can potentially get lost. A prominent peak cluster in the MOAH fraction of refined palm oils could be identified by means of GC-MS and explained why it cannot be epoxidized. Based upon this, an automated and streamlined workflow for sample preparation and analysis was composed tackling major problems identified in previously published methods. Optimized and miniaturized saponification, extraction, epoxidation, and enrichment paired with online LC-GC-FID led to a robust method that was tested and validated for edible oils and fats (RSDR < 7% for MOSH and MOAH at values of 14.9 and 2.1 mg/kg, respectively). Due to increased sample amount and minimized blank values, quantitation limits below 1 mg/kg for MOSH and MOAH were achieved. The trueness of the method was verified by analyzing collaborative trial samples.

Screening for mineral oil hydrocarbons in vegetable oils by silver ion–planar solid phase extraction

The analysis of mineral oil hydrocarbons in vegetable oils is challenging especially regarding the analysis of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) since native terpenes like squalene or β-carotene are usually extracted along with the MOAH fraction and interfere their detection. When applying a recently developed screening method for the analysis of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and MOAH in paper and cardboard by planar solid phase extraction (pSPE) to vegetable oils, native terpenes expectably interfered with MOAH analysis. Thus, an adaption of pSPE employing silver ions, named silver ion–planar solid phase extraction (Ag–pSPE), was developed in this study. Impregnation of thin-layers with silver nitrate (AgNO3) was found to be very successful in retaining squalene and β-carotene. MOAH analysis of vegetable oils after saponification showed good repeatability (relative standard deviation (%RSD) <10%) and recoveries of 73.4–112.4% at a spiking level of 4.5 mg/kg (n = 4). For MOSH analysis, a simple solid phase extraction (SPE) clean-up with aluminum oxide removed native n-alkanes prior to Ag–pSPE. Recoveries for MOSH were 55.3–84.5% with %RSD <11% at a spiking level of 45.5 mg/kg (n = 4). Limits of decision and quantitation were at 7.2 and 22.2 ng/zone for MOSH and 1.1 and 3.4 ng/zone for MOAH, respectively, which corresponded to the recently introduced pSPE method, thus showing that analytes were not affected by the impregnation of HPTLC plates with AgNO3. The method comparison with LC–GC showed similar results for MOSH, while the amounts for MOAH determined by Ag–pSPE were higher.

GTL synthetic paraffin oil shows low liver and tissue retention compared to mineral oil

Oral exposure to mineral oil may result in a narrow fraction of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbon (MOSH) being retained in tissues. Excess of MOSH hepatic retention may lead to the formation of lipogranuloma caused by predominantly multiring cycloalkanes (naphthenics) in a critical range of C25–C35. Although hepatic lipogranuloma is of low pathological concern, MOSH tissue deposition could be minimized by using an oil of similar quality but devoid of naphthenic structures to decrease hepatic retention.Synthetic Gas to liquid (GTL) oils offer an alternative to petroleum derived mineral oils, because they do not contain naphthenic structures. To demonstrate this point, SD rats were fed either GTL oil (99% iso-alkanes) or naphthenic mineral oil (84% cycloalkanes) at 200 mg/kg bw/day for 90 or 134 days with a recovery group. Liver, fat and mesenteric lymph nodes were analyzed for alkane sub-type levels using Online-HPLC-GC-FID and GCxGC-TOF-MS.Results indicate that at equal external dose, GTL hydrocarbons result in lower tissue levels and more rapid excretion than MOSH. GTL retained hepatic fractions were also qualitatively different than MOSH constituents. Because chemical composition differences, GTL oil show low absorption and tissue retention potential and thus an advantageous alternative to conventional mineral oil.

Occurrence of Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons in Omega-3 Fatty Acid Dietary Supplements.

Omega-3 fatty acid dietary supplements have become increasingly popular with consumers due to their multiple health benefits. In this study, the presence of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) was investigated in seventeen commercial samples of such supplements, characterized by different formulations. The analyses were performed using on-line liquid chromatography–gas chromatography (with flame ionization detection), which is considered the most efficient method for the determination of MOH in foodstuffs. Analyte transfer was performed by using the retention gap technique, with partially concurrent solvent evaporation. Various degrees of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbon contamination (from 2.4 ppm to 375.7 ppm) were found, with an average value of 49.9 ppm. Different C-number range contaminations were determined, with the >C25–≤C35 range always found with an average value of 26.9 ppm. All samples resulted free of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons, except for two samples in which a contamination was found at the 9.9 and 6.6 ppm levels, respectively.

Offline Solid-Phase Extraction and Separation of Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons and Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Edible Oils, and Analysis via GC with a Flame Ionization Detector.

A method was developed for the determination of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in edible oils, achieving similar limits of quantification than those obtained by online extraction methodologies, i.e., 0.5 mg/kg. The isolation of MOSH and MOAH was performed in a silver nitrated silica gel stationary phase prior to their analysis by gas chromatography–flame ionization detector (GC-FID). To improve the sensitivity, the simulated on-column injection method, using a suitable liner, was optimized. The method was validated at 0.5, 10.0 and 17.9 mg/kg, and recoveries ranged from 80 to 110%. Intra and inter-day precision were evaluated at the same levels, and relative standard deviation (RSD) was lower than 20%. The method was applied to a total of 27 samples of different types of oil previously analyzed in an accredited laboratory, detecting MOSH up to 79.2 mg/kg and MOAH up to 22.4 mg/kg.

Review on Quantification of Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbon (MOAH) from Cosmetics by Analytical Method

Mineral oils which consists mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH), which are largely applied in various consumer products like medicines cosmetics etc. MOAH which is potential public health hazard because it include carcinogenic polycyclic compounds. There is a rapid method for quantifying MOAH by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H qNMR) in anhydrous cosmetics. The 1H qNMR method is a good complement to the LC-GC-FID method. Another method is a simple and fast developed that uses columns packed with silver-modified silica in supercritical fluid chromatography with flame ionization and UV detection (SFC-FID/UV) for the determination of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and also mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in purified mineral oil samples. Another method which is based on gas chromatography with vacuum ultraviolet detection (GC-VUV) and relies on the spectral differences between the aliphatic and aromatic compounds in the sample. The detector provides a good selectivity for aromatics, direct quantification of the MOAH content is possible without the need for a laborious pre-separation of the mineral oil. GC-VUV method good sensitive for the analysis of all but gives highest purity mineral oils.

Survey of mineral oil hydrocarbons in Chinese commercial complementary foods for infants and young children

ABSTRACT Recently, mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) in various foods have raised significant concern, especially for infants and young children due to their potential adverse health effects. Two fractions can be distinguished by certain analytical techniques, mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). The toxicological profile of MOSH and MOAH differs greatly. The toxicity of MOSH is linked with long-term accumulation of some hydrocarbons. MOAH with three to seven, non- or simple-alkylated, aromatic rings may be mutagenic and carcinogenic. However, data on the occurrence of mineral oils in commercial complementary foods for infants and young children are lacking in China. In the present study, 100 commercial food samples were collected, including 26 pureed or paste canned foods, 21 high-protein ground cereal foods (rice flour), 25 raw cereal foods (noodles), and 28 cereal-based molar sticks and biscuits. The content of MOSH and MOAH in those samples was determined by optimised sample preparation methods combined with on-line high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with gas chromatography and flame ionisation detector (HPLC-GC-FID), with a limit of quantification of 0.5 mg/kg. The results indicated that there were no MOAH detected in any of the foods, but MOSH and polyolefin oligomeric saturated hydrocarbons (POSH) existed in most of the food samples, at <0.5–23.68 mg/kg. Moreover, the data and chromatograms of the MOSH and POSH also indicated that these contaminants were closely correlated to their ingredients and manufacturers. The current study provides basic data to understand MOH exposure and consequent health impact.

Use of a low-cost, lab-made Y-interface for liquid-gas chromatography coupling for the analysis of mineral oils in food samples

Consumers are daily exposed to a range of mineral oil hydrocarbons via food consumption. Major sources of MOH in food are packaging and additives, processing aids, and lubricants. In 2019, an EU guidance was released covering specific directions for sampling and analysis of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in food and food contact materials within the frame of Recommendation (EU) 2017/84 for the monitoring of mineral oils.The parameters required by the guide are increasingly stringent, and coping with this type of analysis is now very challenging. It is within such a context that the present research is confined, inasmuch that it is focused on the construction of a low-cost, lab-made Y-interface for liquid-gas chromatography coupling used for the determination of MOSH and MOAH in foodstuffs.The response ratios of alkanes comprised between C10 and C50 were measured and were comprised between 0.9 and 1.1, with a maximum coefficient of variation of 4% (n = 5). Intermediate precision was evaluated for the fat/oil category during a period of 48 days obtaining a value of 10%. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of both MOSH and MOAH were performed in a single run and in a fully-automated manner.Seventeen different foods were analyzed in order to cover the categories reported in the EU guide. Saturated hydrocarbon contamination was detected only in a few samples (in the range 1–153 ppm); MOAH contamination was found only in one sample (sunflower oil: 15 ppm).

Migration of mineral oil hydrocarbons from food contact papers into food simulants and extraction from their raw materials

ABSTRACT To determine the occurrence of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) in food contact papers in China, and to investigate the potential sources of MOH contamination, a total of 159 food contact papers and raw materials were analysed by off-line solid-phase extraction-gas chromatography flame ionisation detection (SPE-GC-FID) and a GC-MS method. The migration of MOH from food contact papers into Tenax, olive oil or 50% ethanol under the worst foreseeable conditions of use was determined. The results indicated that the occurrence of MOH in China is of a potential health risk concerning the migration of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) which were detected in 82.6% and 50.4% of samples, respectively. Migration of MOSH from 47.9% of samples was higher than 2 mg/kg and migration of MOAH from 32.2% samples exceeded 0.5 mg/kg in case of the worst foreseeable condition of use. The highest mean migration of MOSH and MOAH were found in packaging papers for long-term storage (more than 6 months), with mean migration of 91.2 mg/kg and 1.4 mg/kg, respectively. Migration of MOH from printed paper was considerably higher than that of unprinted paper, validating previous findings that the printing ink is the predominant source of MOH contamination in food contact papers. Migration of MOH from paper bowls used for packing instant noodles was relatively low, suggesting the internal hollow layer may be acting as a functional barrier that could block the transfer of MOH (up to C28) through the gas phrase, even though the outer layer was made from recycled paper. High concentrations of MOSH and MOAH were also detected in de-foamers, adhesives and rosin sizing agents, indicating that the MOH contamination caused by the use of raw materials and additives should also be taken into consideration.

Contribution of packaging materials to MOSH and POSH contamination of milk powder products during storage

ABSTRACT Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) in milk powders, particularly in infant formulas, have been and continue to be a major concern to the public worldwide. These contaminants are likely derived from environmental pollution, manufacturing process and packaging materials. In this study, 23 Chinese commercial milk powder products packaged in four types of materials, i.e. metal cans, paper containers, paperboard boxes with internal bags, and aluminium foil-plastic bags, were collected and stored for 1 year. The total and surface MOH in these samples were detected and compared before and after storage to understand the MOH migration during storage, despite no mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOAH) were detected. The contents of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and polyolefin oligomeric saturated hydrocarbons (POSH) in metal cans were the least among the four packages and changed little during storage, which suggested that little MOH migration occurred in metal material. Despite all the food contact materials in the other three packagings were the aluminium foil-plastic composite, the similar low migration occurred in the aluminium foil-plastic bags and internally contained composite bag(s) in paperboard boxes. However, both total and surface MOSH and POSH easily migrated from the paper-plastic-aluminium composite of paper containers during storage. These findings are helpful for the selection of packaging materials in manufacturing milk powder products or other foods.

Mineral oil saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons quantification: Mono- and two-dimensional approaches

The determination of the level of mineral oil contamination in foods is a well-known problem. This class of contaminants is generally divided into mineral oil saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons with different toxicological relevance and analytical challenges. Among the many challenges, data interpretation and integration represent an important source of uncertainty in the results provided by different laboratories leading to a variation evaluated on the order of 20%. The use of multidimensional comprehensive gas chromatography (GC × GC) has been proposed to support the data interpretation but the integration and the reliability of the results using this methodology has never been systematically evaluated. The aim of this work was to assess the integration and quantification performance of a two-dimensional (2D) software. The data were generated using a novel, completely automated platform, namely LC-GC × GC coupled to dual detectors, i.e., time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MS) and flame ionization detector (FID). From a systematic study of the failures of the two-dimensional quantification approach a novel solution was proposed for simplifying and automating the entire process. The novel algorithm was tested on ad hoc created samples (i.e. a paraffin mixture added of n-alkanes) and real-world samples proving the agreement of the results obtained by LC-GC × GC and the traditional mono-dimensional approach. Moreover, the benefits of using an entirely integrated platform were emphasized, particularly regarding the identity confirmation capability of the MS data, which can be easily translated into the 2D FID quantification feature.

Research Progress of Analysis of Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons using On-line High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Gas Chromatography

Abstract In the past decades, the application of on-line high performance liquid chromatography coupled with gas chromatography (HPLC-GC) has been rapidly developed for the quantitative analysis of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH). MOH are derived from petroleum and synthetic fuels, and cover a large range of boiling points, mainly consisting of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). MOH can migrate into food and environment through a variety of pathways, consequently impose an adverse impact on human health. However, the analysis of MOH is challenging due to the limited selectivity and sensitivity of hydrogen flame ionization detector (FID). On-line HPLC-GC combines the high separation efficiency of HPLC with the equal-carbon-response detection of GC-FID, which solves the problems associated with selectivity and sensitivity of MOH analysis. The innovation of the retention gap, Y-piece interface, and solvent vapor exit (SVE) with which the HPLC-GC is equipped enables large-volume injection into GC-FID. By allowing the elution fractions from HPLC to be completely transferred into the GC, the analytical sensitivity of the MOH is enhanced by more than two orders of magnitude, and the contaminants introduced are minimized during the analytical procedure, ensuring the reproducibility and accuracy of the MOH analysis. In this paper, the research history of the interfaces used in on-line HPLC-GC and the matching conditions between HPLC and GC were described in detail, and the sample preparation methods for the removal of interferences and the enrichment of MOH based on HPLC-GC were reviewed. In addition, the limitations of HPLC-GC were summarized, and the future applications of this technology and the trends in the development of MOH analysis were prospected.

On-Line HP(LC)-GC-FID Determination of Hydrocarbon Contaminants in Fresh and Packaged Fish and Fish Products.

Fish products can be contaminated with mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH), mainly as a result of environmental contamination (wild fish) or contaminated feeds (farmed fish). Packaged products may also be contaminated with polyolefin oligomeric hydrocarbons (POH), which, depending on the packaging, storage condition, matrix composition, and fat content, may migrate relatively easily from the packaging to the food. A rapid, solvent-sparing method for determining hydrocarbon contaminants in fish products was developed, validated, and applied to farmed and wild fish products (both fresh and packaged samples, stored under different conditions). Microwave-assisted saponification (MAS) was used in combination with on-line LC-GC-flame ionization detection (FID). The proposed method showed quantitative recovery, good repeatability, and high sensitivity. Farmed salmon had variable mineral oil saturated hydrocarbon contamination (from 0.5 to 4.3 mg/kg), accompanied by mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (maximum 1.4 mg/kg), while wild salmons had no detectable contamination. Samples of one farmed salmon and a swordfish, both sliced and packed under vacuum, resulted contaminated with POH migrated from the packaging. POH migration was also evident in a ready-to-eat meal. The proposed method showed good performance characteristics in terms of recovery, repeatability, and LOQ. Fatty fish products are more prone to contamination with hydrocarbon contaminants. MAS allows for rapid and efficient sample preparation. An LC-GC-FID method for MOH/POH determination in fish products was validated. Fish products may be contaminated with variable amounts of hydrocarbon contaminants.

Evaluation of measures to mitigate mineral oil migration from recycled paper in food packaging

The presence of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in food is a safety concern. Migration to food from recycled paper and board is a relevant source of MOSH and MOAH, and the potential of several technologies to reduce it was explored. These technologies were assessed for food safety (people), environment (planet) and economy (profit) in an integrated way, using a framework developed to compare the effect of the technologies with the current state of the art. Two mature technologies were evaluated (MB12 and flotation), two in development (supercritical CO2 and thermal treatment), and two as a concept (anionic trash catchers and functionalized clays). The use of mineral‐oil‐free inks for printing newspapers was also evaluated. It was concluded that, although it is desirable to apply mineral‐oil‐free inks, in the short‐term reduction technologies have more impact. All technologies of which the effectiveness could be investigated (MB12, flotation, supercritical CO2 and thermal treatment) are able to reduce the potential migration of mineral oils by &gt;70%, but none score optimally on all indicators. The MB12 technology shows the best overall performance and is ready for implementation, provided its patent will be available to more parties. Supercritical CO2 performs best on food safety, but environmental and economic performance has to be improved. The developed assessment framework yields a clear overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the technologies. Based on the assessment, recommendations are made to stakeholders, including the recycling industry, the ink and printing industry, the food industry and research institutes.

Do Claims about the Naturalness and Dose of Cosmetics Ingredients Affect the Public’s Perception of Their Safety?

Media articles have claimed that “synthetic mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH)”, which are used in many cosmetics such as lip balms, are unsafe at any dose and should be replaced with natural alternatives. This paper examines whether these claims are correct and whether the perceived safety of these substances is influenced by the language used in the media. To achieve these goals, it first provides an extensive review of the toxicology literature, finding no support that MOSHs are unsafe at current usage levels. It then reviews the psychology literature to examine the effects of labelling a cosmetic ingredient as “natural” rather than “synthetic” and the effects of dose information. A 2 × 2 between-subjects experiments involving adult lip balm users shows that, as hypothesized, the perceived safety of lip balms increases when they are described as containing “naturally sourced mineral oil” rather than “synthetic mineral oil saturated hydrocarbon (MOSH)”, which are both correct descriptions. In addition, the perceived safety increases when the substance is described as being present in a low vs. a high dose, regardless of whether it was described as natural or synthetic. Overall, safety perceptions for common cosmetic substances can be significantly influenced by the language used in media reporting.