Microplastics and nanoplastics are pervasive in the food supply and may be affecting food safety and security on a global scale, according to a new study led by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia’s national science agency.
Human dietary exposure to microplastics is associated with a number of urgent health risks such as digestive, reproductive, and respiratory harm, and should be addressed with a “degree of urgency,” according to a report from the California State Policy Evidence Consortium (CalSPEC).
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has determined the food safety of plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) when produced by a recycling process called Poly Recycling for use in food contact materials.