MVO

The specifications for refined vegetable and marine oils excluding olive oil of the chain organization MVO provide information on the quality and safety parameters of refined oils and fats to buyers of these oils and fats.

The specifications for refined vegetable and marine oils excluding olive oil 2014 of MVO - the Netherlands Oils and Fats Industry provide information on the quality and safety parameters of refined oils and fats to buyers of these oils and fats. They include:

legal limits for contaminants in oils and fats
limits in Codex Alimentarius standards
MVO guaranteed values for quality and food safety parameters which are not legally regulated
recommended methods of analysis for the parameters mentioned

These values apply unless otherwise agreed in additional documents between supplier and buyer.

Contaminant	EC Regulation 1881/2006 (+amendments 1126/2007 and 1259/2011)	Codex Standard for named vegetable oils	MVO Guaranteed value	Reference Method of Analysis (or equivalent)
Mycotoxins
Aflatoxin B1 - in peanut and coconut oil	max 2 µg/kg			AOCS Ab 6-68 and Directive 1998/53/EC amended by 2002/27/EC, 2002/121/EG and 2004/43/EG
Aflatoxin B1 + B2+G1+G2 - in peanut and coconut oil	max 4 µg/kg
Zearalenone - in refined maize oil	max 400 µg/kg
Metals
Iron (Fe)		max 1500 µg/kg	max 500 µg/kg	ISO 8294
Copper (Cu)		max 100 µg/kg	max 50 µg/kg	ISO 8294
Arsenic (As)		max 100 µg/kg	max 100 µg/kg	AAS
Lead (Pb)	max 100 µg/kg	max 100 µg/kg		ISO 12193
Nickel			max 200 µg/kg	ISO 8294
Sum of dioxins (WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ)
- in vegetable oil	max 0,75 pg/g fat			FEDIOL lists recommended labs for analysing dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in oils & fats
- in fish oil	max 1,75 pg/g fat
Sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ)
- in vegetable oil	max 1,25 pg/g fat
- in fish oil	max 6,0 pg/g fat
Non dioxin-like PCBs (sum of congeners 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180)
- in vegetable oil	max 40 ng/g
- in fish oil	max 200 ng/g
PAHs
Benz(a)pyrene (Ba P) Sum of benzo(apyrene), benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and chrysene - in coconut oil - other oils	max 2 µg/kg max 20 µg/kg max 10 µg/kg			ISO 15302

_{1) This applies to hydrogenated refined fats and oils.}

Pesticide residues

According to EC Regulation No. 396/2005, European Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for processed products like oils and fats should be derived from the European MRLs for raw agricultural products. Concentration or dilution caused by processing must be taken into account. European MRLs for raw agricultural products can be found in the EU MRL database.

The reference method of analysis is NEN-EN 1528-1/4. FEDIOL has a list with recommended labs approved for analysing pesticide residues in oils and fats.

Quality parameters for refined oils and fats at loading

Bacteriological specifications	MVO guaranteed value	Reference Method of Analysis (or equivalent)
Total plate count	max 1000/g	ISO 4833
Salmonella	absent in 25 g	ISO 6579
Yeasts	max 10/g	ISO 21527
Moulds	max 10/g	ISO 21257
Enterobacteriaceae	max 10/g	ISO 21528-2
E. coli	max 10/g	ISO 16649-2

_{2) Refined oils are sterile and have a too low moisture content for bacteria to affect the quality of the oil. However, during loading of means of transport contamination can occur. Bacteriological specifications should assure refined oils to be loaded according to good practices.}

Other quality parameters	Limit of Codex Standard for named vegetable oils	MVO guranteed value	Reference Method of Analysis (or equivalent)
Soap remains	50 mg/kg (0.005% m/m)	max 10 mg/kg (0.001 m/m)	ISO 10539:2002
Free fatty acids	0.3% FFA (0.6 mg/KOH/g oil)	max 0.1% FFA (0.2 mg/KOH/g oil)	ISO 660
Peroxide value	max 10 milli equivalents O₂/kg	max 1.0 milli equivalents O₂/kg	ISO 3960

Other quality
parameters

Legal
limit

Limit of Codex Standard
for named vegetable oils

MVO guranteed
value

Reference Method of Analysis

(or equivalent)

Soap remains

50 mg/kg
(0.005% m/m)

max 10 mg/kg
(0.001 m/m)

ISO 10539:2002

Free fatty acids

0.3% FFA
(0.6 mg/KOH/g oil)

max 0.1% FFA
(0.2 mg/KOH/g oil)

ISO 660

Peroxide value

max 10 milli
equivalents O₂/kg

max 1.0 milli
equivalents O₂/kg

ISO 3960

Mineral oils and thermal heating fluids

Strict legislation for the transport of refined oils and fats by sea and by land prevents the contamination of refined oils and fats with mineral oils.
There is no risk of contamination of refined oils with thermal heating fluids because European oils and fat producers only use steam heating. Refined (or semi refined) products from third countries are regularly checked on the presence of thermal heating fluids.

Click here for a pdf-document of the MVO specifications.

Last modified: October 11, 2017 08:02

MVO specifications

1) This applies to hydrogenated refined fats and oils.

Pesticide residues

Quality parameters for refined oils and fats at loading

2) Refined oils are sterile and have a too low moisture content for bacteria to affect the quality of the oil. However, during loading of means of transport contamination can occur. Bacteriological specifications should assure refined oils to be loaded according to good practices.

Mineral oils and thermal heating fluids

Food and Feed Safety

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_{1) This applies to hydrogenated refined fats and oils.}

_{2) Refined oils are sterile and have a too low moisture content for bacteria to affect the quality of the oil. However, during loading of means of transport contamination can occur. Bacteriological specifications should assure refined oils to be loaded according to good practices.}