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Microplastics in Food and Dairy Products. Analysis of Existing Methods of Concentration and Extraction
Original title: Микропластик в пищевых и молочных продуктах. Анализ существующих методов концентрирования и экстракции
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Tiny plastic particles called microplastics are showing up more and more in our environment—and possibly in the food we eat, including dairy products like milk and cheese. This review paper looks at the scientific methods researchers use to detect and measure these particles in food, and finds that current testing methods struggle to reliably catch the smallest particles (under 100 micrometers, thinner than a human hair). The takeaway: scientists still don't have great tools to tell us exactly how much microplastic is in our dairy products, so it's too early to know the real health risk—but better detection methods are needed to find out.
Микропластик (МП) признан одним из приоритетных загрязнителей окружающей среды, что обусловлено непрерывным ростом производства полимерных материалов и недостаточной эффективностью систем их утилизации. Широкое использование полимерных материалов в различных отраслях промышленности, включая пищевую, сопровождается повышением риска контаминации пищевой продукции частицами МП. Дополнительным фактором негативного воздействия выступают недостаточно контролируемые процессы сбора, утилизации и переработки полимерных отходов, что усугубляет экологические проблемы и потенциальные риски для безопасности пищевых систем. Вместе с тем вопросы их выявления, количественного определения в пищевых матрицах и оценки возможного воздействия на организм человека остаются недостаточно проработанными. Кроме того, вопросы попадания МП в организм, в том числе при употреблении многих распространенных продуктов питания, таких как молочные продукты, изучены крайне скудно из-за отсутствия исследований, изучающих «загрязнение» этой группы продуктов МП. Анализ существующих аналитических подходов показывает, что их применение для достоверного качественного и количественного определения МП в пищевых продуктах без предварительной пробоподготовки существенно ограничено. Повышение точности и воспроизводимости результатов возможно при использовании специализированных методик, включающих удаление органической матрицы и дополнительные стадии фильтрации и очистки образцов. Это особенно актуально при идентификации частиц МП малого размера – менее 100 мкм. В настоящей статье представлен обзор методов экстракции частиц МП из молочных продуктов для проведения их последующей идентификации. Microplastics (MP) are of great public interest, as they are associated with the global release of plastic into the environment. Research conducted by both domestic and foreign authors confirms the presence of micro- and nanoplastics in environmental objects. The widespread use of polymer materials in various industries, including the food industry, increases the risk of food contamination with microplastic particles. Additionally, the poorly controlled processes of collecting, disposing of, and recycling polymer waste contribute to environmental problems and potential risks to the safety of food systems. However, the issues of their identification, quantification in food matrices, and assessment of their possible impact on the human body remain insufficiently studied. In addition, the information on the entry of MP into the body, including the consumption of many common food products, such as dairy products, is extremely limited due to the lack of research on the «contamination» of this group of products by MP. An analysis of existing analytical approaches shows that their use for reliable qualitative and quantitative determination of microplastics in food products without prior sample preparation is significantly limited. The accuracy and reproducibility of results can be improved by using specialized methods that involve the removal of the organic matrix and additional stages of sample filtration and purification. This is especially relevant for the identification of small MP particles with a size of less than 100 μm. This article provides an overview of methods for extracting MP particles from dairy products for subsequent identification.
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