Scientists in Switzerland have discovered that tiny microplastics and nanoplastics from food packaging may be ingested with food and drinks. Research indicates that these particles can lodge in organs like the heart, lungs, and brain. Common sources include baby bottles, chopping boards, and teabags. While the health effects remain uncertain, associations with severe conditions like cancer and dementia have been noted. Experts recommend regulatory testing of plastic food contact materials to protect public health.
Next time you eat from a container or swig from a cup, you may be ingesting more than just food and drink. Scientists in Switzerland warn that ever-ubiquitous plastic food packaging is leaving us constantly exposed to tiny microplastics and even smaller 'nanoplastics'. These fragments, less than 0.2 of an inch (5mm) in diameter, are so small that they're invisible to the naked eye.
While the long-term effects of these particles on human health remain unclear, they've been linked to cancer and strokes, dementia, and pregnancy complications. 'Plastic food contact articles can release microplastics and nanoplastics into foodstuffs,' the experts warn.
In the study, the experts from Food Packaging Forum, a non-profit organisation in Zurich, evaluated 103 previously published microplastics studies. These studies had investigated microplastics that had been in contact with 'food contact articles' (FCAs) - plastic items commonly found in the home and the industry.
The researchers warn that microplastics tend to be released during 'the normal use as intended by the manufacturer' of these FCAs. For example, opening a bottle with a plastic lid leads to abrasion and microplastics rubbing off against the skin.
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