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Microplastics in Canned Food Linings and Possible Effects on Intestinal Motility: A Review of the Mechanisms and the Present Evidence
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This study reported the discovery of a plastizyme enzyme in Daphnia, demonstrating that freshwater crustaceans produce enzymes capable of degrading plastic polymers. The finding represents a significant advance in understanding biological plastic degradation mechanisms in aquatic invertebrates.
Canned foods are an important component of the global food supply, and the possible role of internal polymer can linings in human exposure to microplastic particles is not well understood. Although past studies have emphasised the chemical release of food-contact materials additives like bisphenol A, relatively little effort has been made on the potential physical release of micro- and nanoplastic particles in can linings and their physiological consequences on the gastrointestinal system. In this critical review, the existing experimental evidence was summarised and showed that exposure to microplastics relates to inflammation of the intestine, disruption of epithelial integrity of barriers, and changes in gut microbial community. Despite the current lack of evidence that directly implicates microplastics generated by canned food linings in particular, in alterations in intestinal motility, these biological outcomes do offer a mechanistic underpinning by which a hypothesis can be constructed. Accordingly, this review proposes a conceptual framework in which microplastics can affect intestinal motility through three interrelated pathways, which include inflammation-associated neuromuscular dysfunction, microbiome-mediated gut-brain axis modulation, and possible direct mechanical or sensory effects on the intestinal wall.
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Potential Links Between Micro- and Nanoplastic Exposure, Enteric Neuropathy, and Gastrointestinal Dysmotility
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This review summarizes existing research on how swallowed micro- and nanoplastics may affect the gut. In studies, mostly mice, the particles damaged the intestinal lining, altered gut bacteria, and disrupted nerve signaling controlling gut muscles, which was linked to slowed gut movement and constipation in mice.
[Effect of microand nanoplastics on the gastrointestinal mucosa and intestinal microbiome].
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This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics entering through the food chain affect the gastrointestinal tract, finding evidence of disruption to gut mucosal integrity and intestinal microbiome composition, with implications for digestive health and systemic immune function.
Microplastics and gut–brain axis: a mechanistic review of metabolic and microbial pathways
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This review summarizes existing research on how tiny plastic particles called microplastics may affect the gut and brain. It looks at how these particles might change gut bacteria and affect behavior, and calls for more research using animal studies to understand the underlying causes.
Microplastics and the gut-brain axis: Unraveling neurotoxic mechanisms and health implications
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This review examines how microplastics interact with the gut-brain axis, a communication network linking the digestive system to the central nervous system. Researchers found that microplastics can disrupt intestinal barrier integrity, alter gut microbiota composition, and trigger systemic inflammation that may affect neurotransmitter balance and brain function. The study suggests that chronic microplastic exposure through the diet could contribute to neurological effects through inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways.
Molecular insights into physiological impact of micro- and nano-plastics on the digestive system and gut-brain axis
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This review evaluates molecular-level evidence on how micro- and nanoplastics affect the digestive system and the gut-brain axis after ingestion through contaminated food and water. The study describes how these particles accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and pancreas, causing oxidative stress, gut microbiota disruption, and compromised intestinal barriers, potentially allowing particles to reach the central nervous system and contribute to neuroinflammatory conditions.
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