Industrially, the Mo–Fe catalysts used in the selective oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde can rapidly deactivate. The use of support materials may reduce the high temperatures in the catalytic bed and/or increase thermal and mechanical resistance. However, during the preparation of these catalysts, or even during reaction conditions, the active species may react with the support material losing their catalytic activity. In this work silica, silicium carbide and titania were studied as supported catalysts by Mössbauer spectroscopy which proved to be a useful technique in the choice of supported materials.