Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons (MOH)

definition

Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons (MOH) are divided into MOSH (Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons: paraffin-like, open-chained, branched hydrocarbons (e.g. alkanes) and naphthenic cyclic hydrocarbons (cycloalkanes)) and MOAH (Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons: hydrocarbons mainly consist of highly alkylated mono- and/or poly-aromatic rings). Each fraction contains more than 1000 constituents.

A large variety of possible compounds may be summarized under these terms, which can be detected as complex mixtures of saturated (aliphatic) or aromatic hydrocarbons in food. The following groups of substances play a role as so-called MOSH analogues.

• POSH: synthetic hydrocarbons from oligomers of polyolefins, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polybutylenes
• PAO: synthetic iso-paraffins with short and long side chains, used as lubricants or in adhesives and hotmelts
• ROSH: synthetic saturated hydrocarbons (oligomers from monoterpenes, cyclopentadienes, and other C5- or C9-monomers) that are ingredients of hot-melt adhesives and can migrate into the sample mostly via gas phase
• transfer or via direct contact

However, it is not possible to distinguish analytically between MOSH, POSH, PAO, and ROSH with the established methods. MOSH analogues result in elevated analytical values for MOSH. For the MOAH fraction, a co-elution with ROAH (resin oligomeric aromatic hydrocarbons from hot melt adhesives) might occur.