Food Contamination by Microplastics and Human Health Implications

Microplastics (MPs) are solid microscopic fragments of plastic materials and are widely distributed in water, soil, air, and biota. MPs cause damage and accumulate in animals such as aquatic organisms, including edible fish, and reach human systems through the food chain (biomagnification). MPs have been found in human blood and lungs, and food exposure requires particular priority. The comprehension of mechanisms by which MPs enter the human body is still scarce. Thus, considering the indirect exposure of food to MPs and the potential to affect human health, this chapter will present current knowledge about the main MP characteristics, levels, and the ways they affect human health through food, especially seafood consumption.