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Microplastics and Related Plastic Additives in Chicken Meat: Occurrence, Human Health Risks, and Implications for Sustainable Green Production
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Chicken meat—whether from small farms, large farms, or pre-packaged meals—contains microplastics (mostly PVC, a type of plastic with high health risks) along with small amounts of plastic-related chemicals. The good news is that current chemical levels are low enough to stay under safety limits, but heating pre-cooked chicken products noticeably increased these chemical levels, suggesting that how we cook and package food matters for limiting exposure. More research is needed to understand the risks of the actual plastic particles themselves and what happens when we're exposed to multiple chemicals at once.
Microplastics and related plastic additives, particularly in agricultural products and food, have attracted concern due to their widespread distribution and potential impacts on human health. However, there is still insufficient research on microplastics and plastic additives in meat products, especially chicken meat. This study analyzed the abundance of microplastics, phthalates (PAEs), and phenolic antioxidants in small free-range farms, large cage-raised farms, and heated and unheated prefabricated chicken products and assessed the health risks of their consumption to humans. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) comprised the main microplastic in all chicken samples, with concentration ranges of 51,163.64–73,080.00 μg/kg. As PVC has a very high hazard score among polymers, these results have significant importance. Dibutyl phthalate was the main PAEs detected, with concentrations ranging from 112.20 to 640.11 μg/kg dry weight. Only one antioxidant, nonylphenol, was detected, with a concentration range of 0 to 5.14 μg/kg dry weight. The chicken samples in this study contained low levels of PAEs and phenolic antioxidants, and their intake levels did not exceed the daily tolerable intake, posing low risks to human health. However, after heating, the levels of PAEs and nonylphenol in pre-cooked chicken products increase from 214.15 to 287.02 to 446.20–463.62 μg/kg dry weight and from 0 to 2.3 to 2.94–5.14 μg/kg dry weight, respectively, necessitating consideration of the health risks of low-dose and combined exposure. This study provides a theoretical basis for quantifying the health risks posed by environmental pollutants in food, driving the transition to green production and promoting sustainable development.
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Harmful impacts of microplastic pollution on poultry and biodegradation techniques using microorganisms for consumer health protection: A review
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This review examines how microplastic pollution affects poultry health and food safety, finding that microplastics have been detected in chicken meat from supermarkets and open markets. Evidence indicates that microplastics can damage vital organs in poultry, reduce egg production, and accumulate in edible tissues. The authors also review biodegradation techniques using microorganisms as a potential strategy for reducing microplastic contamination in the food supply.
Impact of microplastic intake via poultry products: Environmental toxicity and human health
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This review examines how microplastics enter the human diet through poultry products like chicken meat and eggs. Microplastics from contaminated feed, water, and farm environments accumulate in poultry tissues and are then passed to consumers. The study highlights that this food chain transfer represents an underappreciated pathway of human exposure, with potential risks including inflammation, gut disruption, and accumulation of toxic chemicals carried by the plastic particles.
Microplastic Contamination in Edible Tissues of Broiler and Free -Range Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) from Nigeria: Polymer and Morphological Characterisation Using ATR-FTIR and SEM with Comparison of KOH and Fenton Digestion Protocols
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Researchers found tiny plastic particles, including common types like polyethylene and polystyrene, in the liver, heart, and muscle of chickens sold in Nigeria, with the liver most contaminated. Since chicken is a widely eaten food, this suggests poultry could be a hidden way people are exposed to microplastics, though more research is needed to understand health risks.
Environmentally-Acquired Microplastics in Edible Tissues of Broiler and Free-Range Local Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Nigeria: ATR-FTIR and SEM Characterization Comparing Alkaline (KOH) and Fenton Oxidative Digestion Mercy O. Boyi1*Adetutu O. Aliyu2 Saidu Garba2 Abdulafeez O. Akorede
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Researchers testing chicken meat, liver, and heart from Nigerian farms found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in all the tissues they examined, with the liver having the most, likely because it filters substances absorbed from the gut. Farm-raised broiler chickens had more plastic contamination than free-range birds, probably picking up plastic from feed bags and plastic equipment used in intensive farming, which means the way chickens are raised may affect how much plastic ends up on your plate. While this study was done in Nigeria, it adds to growing evidence that eating meat may be one everyday way people are exposed to microplastics
Microplastic Contamination in Commercial Poultry Feed and Edible Chicken Tissues: An Emerging Environmental Concer
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in commercial poultry feed and edible chicken tissues from farms near Rajshahi City, Bangladesh, finding microplastics in all samples tested. Feed samples contained an average of 18.7 microplastic particles per gram, while chicken meat averaged 0.95 particles per gram, with fibers being the dominant shape. The study raises concerns about the transfer of microplastics from feed to edible poultry tissues as a pathway for human dietary exposure.
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