More than 200,000 citizens say no to toxic mineral oil in food
- Mineral oil in foods
We delivered a clear message to EU lawmakers in Brussels: Don't get your hands dirty! Do not cave in to industry pressure - we need a strong regulation that protects us consumers from toxic mineral oil in food!
Campaigners from all of the foodwatch offices around Europe came together in Brussels to hand over more than 200,000 petition signatures to the European Commission in Brussels. We call for strict limits on toxic mineral oil contaminants in food. The signatures from citizens across Europe were presented to representatives of DG Health and Food Safety, alongside a symbolic protest action in front of the Commission headquarters.
Genotoxic and carcinogenic mineral oils have no place in our food. The EU has promised action for years. We need a strong regulation that protects consumers!Head of foodwatch's Brussels Office
The DG Santé team that foodwatch met confirmed that the Commission is committed to reach an agreement on the draft regulation with Member states, hopefully by the end of 2025, with as strict maximum limits as possible.
In order to keep up the pressure on EU lawmakers, we will continue to collect signatures via our online petition.
Sign the petition now!"Keep your hands clean!"
A leaked draft of the planned EU regulation is far too lax: some of the limit values for mineral oil impurities are set far too high and there are long transitional periods. In addition, it is too complicated to calculate the limits for products with several ingredients. foodwatch is calling on the European Commission to finally enshrine in law the strict limits already agreed by the Member States in 2022 - without exceptions and without long transitional periods.
To underline our appeal, foodwatch activists presented symbolic soaps with the inscription “Keep your hands clean” at the end of the meeting - a clear signal to EU politicians not to allow themselves to be influenced by the industry, but to initiate effective regulation.
