Analysis of mineral oil (MOSH/MOAH)
LC-GC-MS method enables verification of MOSH/POSH/PAO and MOAH
Apr. 2017. Today mineral oil is found in a wide variety of foodstuffs as it can enter food products anywhere along the food processing and trade chain. The mineral oil fractions of concern consist mainly of complex mixtures of hydrocarbons, mainly of fossil origin. The following fractions are mainly relevant:
- MOSH: mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons
- POSH: polyolefinic oligomeric saturated hydrocarbons
- PAO: poly alpha olefins
- MOAH: mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons
Currently the routine analysis and quantification of mineral oil is carried out via an online-LC-GC-FID technique, which enables the quantification of MOSH/POSH/PAO and MOAH within one chromatographical run. However, the technique does not necessarily allow for the verification of the origin of detected mineral oil hydrocarbons. This often leads to severe difficulties in identifying sources of contamination as well as effectively minimizing mineral oil contaminations in food products.
Driven by its continuous method improvement programs, Eurofins has now made a major step towards a more detailed analysis of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food products. From now on the fractions of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food (MOSH/POSH/PAO and MOSH) can be qualitatively characterised by means of mass spectrometric analysis: LC-GC-FID results can be verified by using LC-GC-MS and interpretation of the obtained mass spectra. A differentiation of MOSH/POSH/PAO and MOAH as well as an identification of the source of contamination can be possible on the basis of the characteristic mass spectra.
For further information and consulting on the analysis of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food products, please read our flyer or contact our expert.