The MVO ‘Standard Specifications’ for refined oils and fats have been updated. This update is necessary to keep pace with a sector in which legislation, knowledge and market demand are constantly evolving. In practice, the document is widely used as a reference in agreements between suppliers and buyers. This makes it essential to keep it up to date: ambiguity around standards or missing parameters can directly affect contracts and discussions within the supply chain.

New insights and market questions as a driver

New contaminants are coming into focus, and buyers are increasingly asking targeted questions about specific substances – even where no legal standards yet exist. By including these topics, greater clarity is created and a shared point of reference is established within the sector.

New legal maximum levels for glycidyl esters have also been added. In addition, sector-specific limit values have been included for certain substances where legislation is lacking, for example for specific metals. More attention is also given to topics that are receiving increased scrutiny, such as residues of extraction solvents like hexane.

The changes are therefore primarily supplementary and clarifying in nature. The overall structure of the document remains unchanged, but the content has been aligned with current practice and market developments. More substantial changes are expected in due course, once new European standards for certain contaminants are established.

The new version of the MVO ‘Standard Specifications’ will be published on the MVO website shortly.