Mineral oil hydrocarbons can migrate from paperboard cartons into food, and recycled board is the main source. The fix is rarely to drop recycled fibre altogether: match the board, barrier and inks to the food and its shelf life. The question usually surfaces when a dry-food range moves from virgin to recycled board to save cost and a retailer's quality team asks for migration data. This guide explains where the hydrocarbons come from, which products are exposed and what the practical barrier options are. Board grades and styles are covered in the custom printed folding cartons hub.
What are MOSH and MOAH, and why do they matter in packaging?
MOSH (mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons) and MOAH (mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons) are the two main fractions of mineral oil that can migrate from packaging into food. MOSH can accumulate in the body. Some MOAH, especially those with three or more aromatic rings, are of concern as potential genotoxic carcinogens. Both are therefore treated as contaminants to minimise.
Mineral oil hydrocarbons are not added to food cartons deliberately. They arrive through the materials used to make and print them, and they migrate because many fractions are volatile enough to move through air inside the pack.
Where does mineral oil in cartons come from?
The main source is recycled fibre. Recovered paper includes newspapers and magazines printed with inks that contain mineral oil, and these hydrocarbons survive the recycling process into new board. A second source is mineral-oil-based offset inks printed on the carton itself. Other routes include adhesives, transport packaging and jute or sisal sacks used for raw materials.
| Source | How it reaches the food | Main control |
|---|---|---|
| Recycled fibre in the board | Gas-phase migration from the board into the pack | Virgin-fibre board or a functional barrier |
| Offset inks on the carton | Set-off onto the food side in the stack or reel; migration through the board | Mineral-oil-free, low-migration inks |
| Adhesives and hot melts | Contact or gas phase near glue seams | Adhesives declared suitable for food packaging |
| Secondary packaging (shipper cases) | Gas-phase transfer through the carton during storage | Barrier inside the carton; virgin or low-contamination outer |
| Raw material sacks (jute, sisal) | Contamination of the food before packing | Supply-chain controls, not packaging |
The secondary packaging route is often overlooked. A carton made from virgin board can still pick up mineral oil from a recycled corrugated shipper over months of storage, because the hydrocarbons pass through paperboard.
Which foods are most at risk?
The highest risk is for dry foods with a large surface area that are stored for months at ambient temperature: rice, pasta, cereals, flour, semolina, breadcrumbs, cocoa powder and similar products. Fatty dry foods absorb hydrocarbons readily. Short-shelf-life, chilled or frozen products, and food that is already sealed in a good barrier pack, carry much lower risk.
| Factor | Higher migration risk | Lower migration risk |
|---|---|---|
| Food type | Dry, powdery or fatty, large surface area | Moist food with low fat; whole items with small surface |
| Contact | Direct contact with board | Separated by a functional barrier |
| Shelf life | Months | Days to a few weeks |
| Storage temperature | Ambient or warm | Chilled or frozen |
| Board | Recycled fibre, no barrier | Virgin fibre or barrier board |
| Inks | Mineral-oil-based offset inks | Mineral-oil-free, low-migration inks |
For bakery retail cartons such as cake and pastry boxes, shelf life is usually short and storage often chilled, so mineral oil risk is lower. Direct contact with fatty products still requires board declared suitable for food. Confectionery is more sensitive: chocolate is fatty, stored for months and prone to absorbing odours, which is why virgin-fibre board is common there.
Is there a legal limit for mineral oil in food packaging?
There is currently no binding EU-wide limit for mineral oil migration from food packaging. The general requirement of Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 still applies: food-contact materials must not transfer constituents to food in quantities that could endanger health. The question is under ongoing review at EU level, so buyers should watch for a future EU measure. In the meantime, brand owners and retailers often set their own specifications.
Related rules shape how cartons are made:
- Regulation (EC) 2023/2006 (EU GMP for food-contact materials) requires a quality system and specifically that printing inks on the non-food side must not transfer to the food side, for example through set-off in stacks.
- Germany's Printing Ink Ordinance (Druckfarbenverordnung, the 21st amendment of the Bedarfsgegenständeverordnung) introduces a positive list of substances for printing inks on food-contact materials, applying from 1 January 2027 after the transition period ends on 31 December 2026. It applies to cartons placed on the German market. Many EU suppliers already work to it as a reference.
- Swiss Ordinance SR 817.023.21 (Annex 10) and EuPIA guidance are widely used market references for food packaging inks.
- For paper and board itself there is no harmonised EU measure; buyers typically expect declarations referencing 1935/2004 and BfR Recommendation XXXVI.
In Great Britain, the assimilated versions of 1935/2004 and 2023/2006 apply, and Northern Ireland follows EU rules. In the US, paper and board for dry food falls under 21 CFR 176.180, and for aqueous and fatty foods under 21 CFR 176.170. Obligations depend on the company's role and the food, so confirm requirements with your compliance adviser or the competent authority. Wider food-contact law is explained in food-contact packaging compliance.
How can mineral oil migration be prevented?
Mineral oil migration from packaging is controlled by one of three routes, or a combination: use virgin-fibre board, put a functional barrier between the board and the food, or reduce the hydrocarbons in the materials themselves with mineral-oil-free inks. The right choice depends on the food, the shelf life, the recycled content target and the packing line.
| Option | How it works | Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin-fibre board (FBB, SBS) | Removes the recycled-fibre source | Simple; low odour and taint | Does not block migration from shipper cases or inks; higher board cost |
| Barrier inner bag | Film bag between food and carton | Proven; can also give moisture or aroma barrier | Only works with barrier films (see below); adds a plastic component |
| Barrier-coated board | Coating on the food side of the board blocks hydrocarbons | Keeps a carton-only pack | Coating must be a proven mineral oil barrier, not just a grease barrier |
| Board with integrated barrier layer | Barrier ply or laminate inside the board structure | Allows recycled fibre in the board | Higher board cost; recyclability to check |
| Adsorbent board | Layer such as activated carbon captures hydrocarbons | Works with recycled fibre | Capacity is finite; validate against shelf life |
| Mineral-oil-free inks | Removes the ink source | Standard practice for food cartons | Does not address recycled fibre |
Not every film is a barrier
A common mistake is assuming any inner bag solves the problem. Polyolefin films, such as polyethylene and, to a large extent, polypropylene, are not effective barriers to mineral oil over a typical shelf life; hydrocarbons pass through them. Effective functional barriers include PET, polyamide (PA), EVOH-containing structures, aluminium foil, and metallised or acrylate- or oxide-coated films, each with appropriate thickness and seal integrity. Ask for test evidence for the specific structure and shelf life rather than a generic claim.
Grease barriers are not necessarily mineral oil barriers
A coating that keeps butter or oil from staining a bakery carton is not automatically a barrier to mineral oil vapour. When a supplier offers "barrier board", ask which substances it blocks and for how long. PFAS-based grease resistance is restricted in EU food-contact packaging from 12 August 2026 under the PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40); see PFAS-free food packaging and barrier coatings for paper packaging for alternatives.
How is migration tested?
Migration is assessed either by testing the food after storage or by testing the packaging with a food simulant under accelerated conditions. For dry foods, the standard simulant is modified polyphenylene oxide (often known by the trade name Tenax), which absorbs volatile hydrocarbons in a way that represents dry food. Results are compared with the brand's or retailer's specification.
A test is only meaningful for the exact structure tested: board, inks, barrier, adhesive and storage conditions. If any of these change, for example a new board supplier or a different inner bag, the assessment should be reviewed. Testing other recycled-fibre residues, such as plasticisers or photoinitiators, is also worth considering for sensitive products. How samples and approvals fit into production is covered in packaging quality control.
Choosing a carton set-up by food type
| Product | Common carton set-up |
|---|---|
| Rice, pasta, cereals, flour (long ambient shelf life) | Virgin board, or recycled board with a functional barrier bag or barrier board; mineral-oil-free inks |
| Chocolate and pralines | Virgin FBB or SBS; low-odour, low-migration inks and varnishes; taint testing |
| Biscuits and cookies | Virgin board, or recycled board with a barrier wrap or tray liner (a plain polyolefin flow wrap is not a functional barrier) |
| Cakes and pastries (short shelf life, chilled) | Food-suitable virgin board or barrier-coated board for direct contact; grease resistance without PFAS |
| Tea and coffee | Inner barrier bag or wrapped portions in a carton; aroma barrier often needed anyway |
| Frozen food | Virgin or kraft board with moisture-resistant coating; lower migration risk at freezer temperatures |
These are typical industry set-ups, not a substitute for a risk assessment of your own product, shelf life and markets.
Documents to request from a carton supplier
- Declaration of compliance referencing Regulation (EC) 1935/2004, Regulation (EC) 2023/2006 and BfR Recommendation XXXVI (or equivalent for your market)
- Board specification: virgin or recycled fibre, barrier type and the substances it is tested against
- Ink and varnish statements: mineral-oil-free, low-migration, status under the Swiss Ordinance and, for Germany, the Druckfarbenverordnung from 2027
- Migration test reports for the specific structure, simulant and storage conditions
- Adhesive declarations for glue seams
- Notice of any change in board, inks or barrier before it is implemented
As a B2B manufacturer and exporter based in Istanbul, we confirm board, barrier and ink specifications for each food carton during quotation and technical review, against the product and target markets you give us.
What to send when requesting a food-safe carton
To get a carton specification that answers the mineral oil question at the first quotation, send:
- The food, its fat content and form (powder, pieces, whole items)
- Whether it is packed directly in the carton or in an inner pack, and what the inner pack is made of
- Shelf life and storage temperature
- Target markets (for example Germany, the Netherlands, the UK)
- Your retailer's or brand's specification for mineral oil, migration testing and recycled content
- Preferred board (virgin, recycled, barrier) and carton style
Board options in more detail are in FBB vs SBS vs WLC, and finishing choices that affect food contact in carton finishes. Return to the folding carton hub to complete the specification, or send your food carton brief for review.