The European Commission (EC) has adopted Recommendation (EU) 2017/84 on the monitoring of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs) in food and in materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. The Recommendation directs Member States—with the active involvement of industry—to monitor the presence of MOHs during 2017 and 2018 in specific categories of food products, as well as those food-contact materials used to hold such products.

A new database of chemical substances evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is accessible on the EFSA’s website. This Chemical Hazards Database, OpenFoodTox, provides information on risk assessments conducted by the EFSA on more than 4,000 substances in over 1,650 Scientific Opinions, Statements, and Conclusions. Previously, it was necessary to access the individual opinions, statements or conclusions to locate this information.