New Research Has Found That Almost 90% Of Protein Sources Contain Microplastics, Including Vegan Alternatives
A new study has raised health concerns after finding that almost 90% of protein sources contain microplastics, including plant-based options.
This discovery was part of research published in Environmental Pollution, in which researchers examined 16 different protein varieties– such as beef, chicken, pork, seafood, tofu, and three vegan alternatives– for microplastic content.
The proteins tested were bought from two supermarkets and one grocer in Portland, Oregon, in April 2022. The items were all produced in the United States, as indicated on their packaging.
The research team was made up of scientists from the University of Toronto and Ocean Conservancy, and they discovered plastic particles in 88% of these samples. This suggests that regardless of dietary choices, people are still probably ingesting microplastics.
Dr. Britta Baechler, Ocean Conservancy’s associate director of plastics science, called this discovery a “startling reminder” of just how widespread plastic pollution is.
“Humans live on land, and yet seafood samples are just as likely to be contaminated with plastics as are terrestrial-derived proteins,” Dr. Baechler said.
“And there’s no escaping them, no matter what you eat, it seems. The plastic pollution crisis is impacting all of us, and we need to take action to address its many forms.”
Past studies have indicated that people, on average, ingest an amount of plastic equivalent to an entire credit card each week. These tiny particles measure less than five millimeters and have been detected in both our clouds and oceans.
So, the latest research from Ocean Conservancy contributes to the increasing body of research on microplastics in our diets.
VlaDee – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
The study discovered that 44% of the microplastics were fibers; meanwhile, fragments made up 30%. And now, further research is needed to ascertain the sources of these particles.
The team at Ocean Conservancy suggested that food processing methods might be responsible for the presence of microplastics.
Their findings indicate that proteins undergoing more processing tend to have higher microplastic levels compared to those that are less processed.
Nevertheless, processing might not be the sole factor, given that the study found only a slight difference in microplastic contamination between processed foods and fresh-caught meats.
“It’s tempting to want to draw conclusions, like ‘eat less of this and more of that’ to avoid microplastics in your diet. But right now, we still know very little about the microplastic burdens in commonly consumed foods,” detailed Madeleine Milne, the study’s co-author.
According to data from a different collaborative study conducted by Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto, it is estimated that U.S. adults ingest almost 11,500 microplastics on a yearly basis.
However, based on more recent calculations, this figure could potentially rise to a whopping 3.8 million– indicating that further timely research is crucial.
To read the study’s complete findings, visit the link here.
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