Sad but true: Fruits and vegetables contain microplastics
Oops! Microplastics are in our fruits and vegetables.
It goes without saying that eating fruits and vegetables every day is important for a healthy life. Well, I’ve some bad news. How would you feel if we told you that in addition to all the vitamins, minerals, and fiber, you’ve also ingested microplastic particles? According to recent researches, scientists have found microplastics in fruits and vegetables.
A study published in the journal Environmental Research says that fruits and vegetables absorb microplastic particles from the soil. These particles stay there until someone eats those fruits and vegetables. In the process, these microplastics and nanoplastics are transported into plant tissue. This is how they get into the human body.
Researchers from various universities studied common fruits and vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, broccoli, potatoes, apples, and pears. They were chosen because these varieties allow researchers to better assess dietary intake of MPs (microplastic particles) and NPs (nanoplastics). In addition, they’re typically consumed at least once a day. They sourced these products from a variety of suppliers, from small fruit retailers to supermarkets.
The researchers found that apples and pears were the most contaminated fruit and carrots were the most contaminated vegetables. Although lettuce was physically larger than carrots, it contained the fewest microplastic particles.
It was found that the estimated daily intake of particulate matter increased in both adults and children when they ate the most apples and the least carrots. However, children appeared to ingest more particles due to their lower body weight. Therefore, children are more exposed to body weight than adults, even though they eat smaller amounts.
This study is important because it’s the first to detect microplastics in edible fruits and vegetables. Microplastics have already been detected in other sources such as sea salt, beer, water, shellfish, sugar, soil, and even air. However, it’s never been found in fresh fruits and vegetables.
The study’s authors call for more research on nanotoxicity and whether it harms plant and human health.
What can we do if microplastics are found in fruits and vegetables? You can find people like Sevinç Abla who do organic farming and buy your food from them. You can also look for a food co-op in your town. If you’ve a garden and time, you can grow your own food.
I know, life is challenging these days. But… We should survive.