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New threats in food products: micro- and nanoplastics are food and water contaminants
Summary
This review examines micro- and nanoplastics as emerging food and water contaminants, covering how small synthetic polymer particles pass through filter systems and enter bottled water and beverages. It summarizes evidence of their environmental persistence and potential toxicity, and calls for research on their degradation patterns in different media to better assess food safety risks.
One of the pressing problems of food chemistry is the study of foreign substances and materials (contaminants) entering the body with food products. The widespread use of plastics in various spheres of society causes the release of waste polymer materials into the environment, including water resources. Recently, a new food safety threat was discovered in the form of small synthetic polymer particles. Micro- and nanosized plastic particles are able to pass through filter systems, even getting into purified water. According to numerous studies, micro- and nanoplastic particles are found in bottled water and drinks. The potential toxicity of microplastic particles makes it promising to carry out research work in the fi eld of analyzing the patterns of their destruction in various environments and studying the eff ect on living organisms, as well as to develop methods for determining micro- and nanoplastics in various food products and water.
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