Researchers from UCLA have found that chewing gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastic particles per piece into saliva—no matter if the gum is made of synthetic or natural, plant-based polymers.
A Boston University study has shown that Escherichia coli exposed to microplastics form strong biofilms and develop increased levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and multi-drug resistance.
A recent study has demonstrated that millions of nano- and microplastics are released by polymer-based commercial tea bags when infused with hot water, and that these plastic particles are readily taken up by human intestinal cells.
Researchers are pointing to the food safety and public health threat of microplastics in wastewater, which can serve as a vehicle for pathogenic biofilm communities and antibiotics, introducing these hazards to the environment and crops, and even contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
FDA recently asserted that available scientific evidence “does not demonstrate that levels of microplastics or nanoplastics detected in foods pose a risk to human health.” However, the agency acknowledges the current science is limited by a lack of standard definitions or methods.
A recent study has found the ubiquitous presence of tire-derived compounds in leafy greens samples grown in four European countries, indicating that chemicals in tires and roads are taken up by crops.
Researchers recently conducted sampling and analysis of common vegetable oils from Italy and Spain, packaged in both glass and plastic bottles, to determine the presence of microplastics. Microplastics were found in every sample tested, regardless of packaging.
An EU project that monitors contaminants in important Mediterranean fishing regions/seafood species has discovered concerning levels of microplastics in the guts and stomachs of some fish.
