Microplastic in food? Wow, can you believe that? That sounds scary. But sadly, this is the reality.

I am sure, just by reading the title, you have 100 questions in your mind. Like what is microplastic? How did it get into our food? What food is it in? And some doubts, like is it fact or fiction?

I’ll answer all that, but let me tell you one thing now: microplastic in food is 100% real, and it’s harming our health in multiple ways.

With this blog post, I aim to warn you of the imminent danger and possibly find some solutions to this.

But first, we need to learn a little bit about microplastic and how microplastic in food became a thing.

What are microplastic

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that are less than 5 mm in size, often not visible to the naked eye. They are either manufactured in small sizes or are the result of the breakdown of larger plastics.

Plastic is used everywhere, from single-use polythene and plastic bottles to fishing gear and more. Plastic is cheap and easily available, so people prefer it over other materials.

But as it’s so easily available, it also starts mixing with the food we eat, causing many potential health risks.

How microplastic in food become a thing?

We know that we are surrounded by plastic. 430 million tonnes of plastic are generated every year. This doesn’t mean it’s only made for food, but basically, everything we use contains some plastic.

From pens to cups, toys to products, everything has plastic. India, on its own, produces 9.3 million metric tons of plastic waste each year. In total, only 9% of plastic is recycled, 12% is incinerated, and 79% remains as it is, getting mixed with the environment or dumped into the ocean.

12 million tons of plastic is dumped into ocean ever year. There aquatic life gets easily influenced by it.

As plastic is not recycled, it easily finds its way into landfills or water bodies, where, over time, it breaks down into microplastic.

Microplastic has been detected in the water we drink, use for crops, and feed to animals, so there are various ways microplastic is making its way into our bodies.

Poor treatment of industrial waste also leads to the release of microplastic into the environment.

There’s a lot of plastic contamination in the soil, and it gets easily absorbed by plants through their root systems.

The packaging materials we use for food, like plastic bottles and packaged food, are also a leading cause of plastic entering our food and then our bodies.

Seafood, beef, packaged food, pork, etc., have all shown plastic contamination.

On average, a liter of bottled water contains 240,000 tiny particles of plastic.

Where microplastic is found till now

Now, this is where it gets scary.

It’s basically everywhere: brain tissues, blood, plasma, human testicles, breast milk. Since it’s in the blood, it’s easy for microplastic to travel throughout the body.

It mainly comes from food, like seafood (such as the guts of fish and shrimp), packaged food, food available in plastic bags, and plastic water bottles. Even 3 minutes in the microwave is enough to break plastic bonds and release plastic into the food.

Why microplastic is a thing to worry?

There are lots of ongoing results that keep telling us how microplastic in food is harming our health. Here are some causes for concern:

It can cause digestive issues, blockages, and irritation in the digestive tract. Microplastics and nanoplastics can even block the intestine. This could further lead to inflammation throughout the body, which can cause inflammatory bowel disease.

Some studies show that microplastics can cause cardiovascular diseases. It can even alter heart rate and cause cardiac function impairment.

As microplastic accumulates, it can cause damage to the kidneys and liver.

Microplastic can also affect hormone production; in men, it can cause erectile dysfunction and affect sperm quality.

In women, it could lead to birth defects and brain development issues, fertility problems, and toxicity, which can lead to a reduction in ovarian count.

There are growing concerns about plastic’s link to respiratory issues, but more research may be needed. However, it has been confirmed that microplastics increase the risk of cancers.

What can we do?

We cannot avoid certain things, but we can certainly reduce them. Our goal should be to use fewer plastic-based products.

However, plastic is everywhere, from packaging to food, so we need to make sure we choose wisely. For example, if we can buy loose or unpacked products, that’s great.

Instead of getting goods in plastic bags, we can carry our own cloth bags. We also need to limit the usage of processed foods like chips, cookies, etc., and make sure to eat food that we can cook from scratch using natural ingredients.

Packaged plastic bottles should be strictly avoided. They often come with an expiry date, and we need to ensure we know where our drinking water is coming from.

Buying products labeled “plastic-free” or those that come with sustainable packaging are great options.

What we need to do is change people’s mindset, because that’s when we can accept any change.

This issue can be better managed when proper recycling techniques and alternatives are adopted. We may also need technology to remove plastic from the water.

Conclusion

Microplastic in food is a real menace; it’s everywhere. Our food is not safe from it, and we are being gradually affected. However, our small actions can make us more aware of our food, cooking techniques, hygiene, and choices.

There is still ongoing research, and today we have seen just a fraction of the imminent danger. Our timely awareness can save us.

I shall return soon with part 2 of “7 Things That Are Not Supporting Your Heart Health.” Until then, remember to smile.