During a recent trip to New Orleans, the author reflected on king cake babies as symbols of plastic's presence in the food system. Despite the tradition of hiding a plastic baby in each king cake for good luck, the author, who researches toxic chemicals, expressed concern about the average ingestion of microplastics from various food sources. Although the health impacts of microplastics are not fully understood, emerging studies suggest potential risks such as heart attack and stroke. To mitigate risk, the author offers principles and encourages a newsletter subscription to learn more about reducing microplastic exposure in the kitchen.
The amount of plastic or chemicals that will leach into the slice where the baby ends up is small. I look at these things holistically.
Microplastics are ubiquitous in the food system—seafood, water, produce, meat, beer, rice, and especially highly processed foods.
By one estimate, we on average ingest about 3.8m microplastics annually, many through food.
Some research has linked them to increased risk of heart attack and stroke, indicating that it is prudent to attempt to reduce exposure.
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