Food-Grade Vs. Technical-Grade Mineral Oil

Bakeries use food-grade mineral oil.

To understand the difference between food-grade mineral oil and technical-grade mineral oil, we must take a look at how oils are classified. Mineral oil is derived from petroleum and can be used for myriad products, including food, health and beauty products, crafts and plants and animal feeds.

Classifications of Oil

There are two classifications for white mineral oil. They are classified by their degree of refinement and by whether certain substances have been added or removed during processing and the handling methods that were employed during their refinement. The Food and Drug Administration, United States Pharmacopoeia and the National Formulary test the oils and help determine their classification.

Food-Grade

Food-grade mineral oils have to exceed or meet requirements set in place by the FDA. They must be approved for direct and indirect food contact, which means they can be used as lubricants in plants and bakeries and also directly as a lubricant for baking tins. They also be processed and packaged in an environment that ensures there is no contamination in the final product.

Technical-Grade

Technical-grade mineral oil must meet the same requirements as food-grade oil with a few exceptions. Technical-grade mineral oil needs only to meet or exceed requirements for indirect food contact and does not need to be packaged in the white-room environment to ensure there is no contamination.

FDA-Approved Oil

The FDA has approved food-grade mineral oil to be used in direct and indirect contact with food. This includes its use as a lubricant in bakery equipment and food processing equipment. In 1958, a law was passed regarding the "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) usages of foods and food additives. In 1960, its use was allowed to continued while further testing ensued to observe whether there were any adverse reactions to using the unrefined oil in unlimited amounts.

GRAS

If the FDA has found a food or food additive to be "generally recognized as safe," it does not have to meet specific requirements set by the agency. Mineral oil has been used for centuries with food. The GRAS proposal requires that the product have been used before the year 1958 to demonstrate to qualified experts that the use is safe. Under this requirement, it has been determined that unrefined mineral oil is unsafe in situations when it cannot be determined how much a person may ingest in one day.

References

• STE Oil Company: White Mineral Oil
• Food and Drug Administration: Agency Response Letter