If you take a look at your surroundings, chances are, you will find at least 5 products made out of plastic; whether it be a phone case, TV remote, a bottle of lotion, or the wrap of a granola bar. While plastic has become one of the most popular materials available, there are several repercussions- especially related to health and consumption. In this article, we will take a deep dive into the microplastics within our food in order to truly understand what we are eating.
Where it Came From?
While most manufacturing processes ensure safety measures are put in place to protect food items, microplastics infiltrate your food in the initial stages of crop growth. In other words, farmlands are the largest reservoir of microplastics. A study at Cardiff University claims that ” 86 trillion to 710 trillion microplastic particles, contaminate European farmland each year”. The soil holds the highest amounts of microplastics through the use of fertilizers (via biosolid from sewage sludge), atmospheric dust, irrigation, and the breakdown of litter. Furthermore, livestock consume crops and water, eventually storing the microplastics within their tissue. Such tissue is then transferred into meat for human consumption.
Another, more common way microplastics may enter your food is through the plastic cutting boards, plastic containers and dishwasher pods in your kitchen. Several research articles claim that plastic cutting boards add microplastics into vegetables and meats when cut on plastic surfaces. Plastic containers contaminate your food when microwaving, scrubbing harshly or even storing food for long periods of time.
How it Impacts Us?
Now that we know where it comes from, we need to understand how it affects us. Many studies claim that microplastics affect the endocrine system by limiting growth hormones. Other research suggests that microplastics are linked to cancer, heart diseases and cellular damage. Researchers found that ingesting microplastics can activate immune responses which can be harmful overtime. While research is ongoing, preventing microplastic contamination is becoming increasingly important with the rising connections to health risks.
How Do We Track It:
While there are many ways researchers identify microplastics in samples, the most common way is by chemically separating the components. This method is called Pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (also known as: Pyrolysis GC- MS). In this method, the sample is heated at high temperatures in order to break down the ingredients. Afterwards, the mass of the microplastics is measured to make conclusions about the amount and type of microplastics present. Such processes are difficult to perform and many researchers are consistently attempting to create new, effective techniques of determining how microplastics contaminate food. Additionally, we have found many ways of removing microplastics from water however, removing them from food is more difficult. For this reason, it is we need to prevent contamination in the first place.
How We Can Avoid Microplastics:
- Not heating food in plastic containers
- Choosing non-plastic materials for long-term food storage
- Avoid plastic cutting boards ( use alternatives like wood or glass cutting boards), nonstick pans and plastic wraps
- Avoid the use of tea bags (generally woven with plastic thread)
- Disposing broken/damaged plastic utensils
- Use dishwasher pods without PVA
TL;DR
- Microplastics enter our food through farmlands and plastic use in the kitchen
- They may lead to many health issues including cancer, damage to cell walls, hormonal imbalance, etc.
- Scientists identify microplastics using Pyrolysis-GC-MS where a sample is heated to separate the ingredients and analyze the mass of plastic
- We can prevent microplastic contamination in our food by: not heating plastic containers, disposing damaged plastic utensils, avoiding plastic cutting boards, etc.
