Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination in seaweed: impacts on human health and mitigation approaches

This review found that microplastics contaminate many types of edible seaweed, with fibers and fragments being the most common forms. Since seaweed is consumed worldwide, these microplastics can enter the human body and potentially cause oxidative damage, cell toxicity, and neurotoxicity. More research is needed to fully understand the health risks of eating microplastic-contaminated seaweed.

2025 Discover Oceans 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Seaweed as a sink for microplastic contamination: Uptake, identifications and food safety implications

This review examines how seaweed, a widely consumed food, absorbs and accumulates microplastics from ocean water. Research shows seaweed can account for up to 45.5% of total dietary microplastic intake in some regions, with particularly high levels in South Asia. The findings are concerning for human health because seaweed is eaten directly and is also increasingly used in health supplements and food additives.

2025 Environmental Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Food safety hazards in the European seaweed chain

Researchers reviewed food safety hazards in the European seaweed supply chain, ranking 22 potential hazards based on available evidence. Arsenic, cadmium, iodine, and Salmonella were identified as major hazards, while micro- and nanoplastics were among the hazards where significant data gaps exist. The study recommends collecting more data on these under-researched hazards, noting that factors like seaweed type, cultivation location, and processing methods all influence contaminant levels.

2020 Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety 184 citations
Article Tier 2

Rehashing Our Insight of Seaweeds as a Potential Source of Foods, Nutraceuticals, and Pharmaceuticals

This review summarizes research on seaweed as a source of beneficial compounds including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, and other health-promoting substances. While not directly about microplastics, the research is relevant because seaweeds grow in marine environments increasingly contaminated with microplastics. Understanding the health benefits of seaweed also requires considering the potential risks of microplastic contamination in these marine food sources.

2023 Foods 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in seafood: Implications for food security, safety, and human health

This review examines how microplastics contaminate seafood -- from fish and shellfish to seaweed -- and what that means for food safety and human health. Marine organisms accumulate microplastics along with the harmful chemicals and antibiotic-resistant bacteria attached to them, creating multiple exposure risks when people eat seafood. With global seafood consumption rising sharply, the authors argue that microplastic contamination in the food supply deserves urgent attention from food safety regulators.

2023 Journal of Sea Research 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the commercial seaweed nori

Researchers quantified microplastic contamination in commercial nori (edible seaweed) at different stages of processing, finding that microplastics were present in both raw and processed products. The results suggest that nori can accumulate microplastics from its marine growing environment and retain them through processing into consumer products.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 258 citations
Article Tier 2

Learning to discuss safety within the European seaweed aquaculture sector

This paper is not about microplastics. It introduces a generic safety assessment protocol for the European seaweed aquaculture sector, covering food safety, environmental safety, and occupational health. While seaweed farming occurs in marine environments where microplastics are present, the study focuses on developing safety frameworks for the aquaculture industry rather than addressing microplastic contamination.

2023 Aquaculture International 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The risks of marine micro/nano-plastics on seafood safety and human health

This review examined the risks of marine micro- and nanoplastics to seafood safety and human health, detailing how plastic particles are ingested by marine organisms and transferred through the food chain to consumers.

2023 Advances in food and nutrition research 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of a framework and toolbox for measuring and evaluating ecosystem interactions of seaweed aquaculture

This Dutch-language study (mostly in Dutch) developed a framework and toolbox for measuring ecosystem integrity in seaweed cultivation areas off the Dutch coast, relevant to scaling up sustainable aquaculture. Healthy coastal ecosystems with minimal microplastic contamination are important for sustainable seaweed production.

2021 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and pathways of microplastics, quantification protocol and adverseeffects of microplastics towards freshwater and seawater biota

This review examines the occurrence, pathways, and adverse effects of microplastics on freshwater and marine organisms, highlighting how these particles can enter the food chain through seafood consumption. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion causes health hazards in aquatic animals and points to gaps in understanding how microplastics affect human health along the food supply chain.

2023 Food Research 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Food

This review summarizes how microplastics enter the food chain through seafood and aquaculture, carrying both physical and chemical hazards from plastic additives and adsorbed pollutants. It discusses the risks to human health from consuming seafood contaminated with microplastics.

2019 Current and future developments in food science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine microplastic debris: An emerging issue for food security, food safety and human health

This review examines the evidence for microplastic contamination in seafood and discusses what it means for food security and human health. Researchers found that microplastics have been detected in commercially important fish and shellfish species worldwide, but the actual health risks to humans from consuming contaminated seafood remain poorly understood. The study identifies critical knowledge gaps and calls for standardized methods to better assess the dietary exposure and potential toxicity of microplastics.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1489 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nano-plastic contamination in foods and potential risk to human health

This review summarizes the current state of knowledge about micro- and nanoplastic contamination in food, covering sources, occurrence, and analytical detection methods. Researchers found that while various foods, especially seafood, contain measurable levels of microplastics, the health risks to humans remain difficult to assess due to inconsistent research methods. The study calls for standardized approaches to better evaluate dietary exposure and potential health impacts.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential risk assessment and toxicological impacts of nano/micro-plastics on human health through food products

This review examined the potential risks and toxicological effects of nano- and microplastics on human health through food products, identifying key contamination sources in the food chain and their harmful impacts on the body.

2023 Advances in food and nutrition research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Food Contamination by Microplastics and Human Health Implications

This review examines how food is contaminated by microplastics throughout the supply chain — from agricultural soil and irrigation water to food processing and packaging — and evaluates the health implications for human consumers. The authors estimate dietary microplastic intake across food categories and identify seafood, drinking water, and packaged foods as the highest-exposure routes.

2024 Food Safety
Article Tier 2

Risk assessment of microplastic in commercial salt sold in Malaysia

Researchers conducted a risk assessment of microplastics in commercial table salt sold in Malaysia, finding that contaminated seawater used during sea salt production introduces microplastics into a widely consumed daily food ingredient with potential adverse health effects.

2023 UiTM Institutional Repositories (Universiti Teknologi MARA)
Article Tier 2

Seaweeds as a major source of dietary microplastics exposure in East Asia

This study found that seaweed is a major and previously overlooked source of dietary microplastic exposure in East Asia, with Chinese consumers estimated to ingest over 17,000 microplastic particles per year through seaweed alone. Seaweed-derived exposure accounted for up to 45.5% of total dietary microplastic intake, surpassing all other food sources. These findings are important for the millions of people in East Asian countries who regularly consume kelp and nori as dietary staples.

2024 Food Chemistry 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics (MPs) in marine food chains: Is it a food safety issue?

This review examined the presence and transfer of microplastics through marine food chains, assessing food safety risks from contaminated seafood and highlighting the ability of microplastics to sorb and leach chemical contaminants that may impact human health.

2022 Advances in food and nutrition research 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution from sea salt: its effect on public health and prevention alternatives - a review

This review examines microplastic contamination in sea salt from countries that export to Indonesia, summarizing polymer types, contamination levels, public health effects of ingested microplastics, and potential prevention strategies to reduce human salt-borne plastic exposure.

2020 E3S Web of Conferences 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Content of Seaweeds in the Mariculture Potential Zone at The Southwest of Coastal Bawean Island

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in seaweeds from Bawean Island, Indonesia, finding that even sheltered coastal waters contained microplastics in red, green, and brown seaweed species collected from mariculture potential zones.

2023 JURNAL BIOLOGI TROPIS 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic: pollution issue and seafood security

This review explains how microplastics enter the marine environment and contaminate seafood, summarizing evidence of their presence in fish and shellfish consumed by humans. The authors highlight seafood safety concerns and call for better regulation and monitoring of microplastic contamination in food systems.

2021 Akuatikisle Jurnal Akuakultur Pesisir dan Pulau-Pulau Kecil
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in commercially packaged edible seaweeds and exposure of the ethnic minority and local population in Mexico

Researchers analyzed commercially packaged edible seaweed products sold at ethnic food stores in Mexico and found microplastic contamination in all samples tested. The most common types were fibers and fragments made of polymers like polyethylene and polypropylene. The study raises concerns about dietary microplastic exposure for ethnic minority communities and local populations who regularly consume imported seaweed products.

2023 Food Research International 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of marine microplastic on marine life and the food webs – A detailed review

This review provides a comprehensive look at microplastic pollution in marine environments, covering sources, impacts on marine life, and risks to human health through the seafood supply chain. Microplastics cause physical harm like gut blockages in marine animals and can carry toxic chemicals that accumulate up the food chain. The authors emphasize that with global plastic production still rising, urgent policy action and better waste management are needed to protect both ocean ecosystems and human health.

2024 Marine Ecology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Seafood Safety, Potential Hazards and Future Perspective

This review covers the range of hazards associated with seafood consumption including pathogenic bacteria, viruses, organic and inorganic chemical pollutants, microplastics, parasites, and natural toxins, assessing the relative risk of each category. The authors emphasize that microplastics represent an emerging concern that is increasingly difficult to separate from other seafood safety issues.

2022 Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 19 citations