Eating highly processed foods increases the amount of microplastics in the body Using plastic containers or utensils does not cause major pollution

A group Austrian researchers An identified Correspondence of concern between Consumption of highly processed foods And one The presence of microplastics in the body.

According to the results of a study published in The science of the total environmentPeople who eat highly processed foods consume more microplastics than those who choose fresh foods.

On the other hand, the use of plastic containers and utensils showed no significant impact In the presence of these microparticles detected in the body.

The study, led by Christina Hartmann of the Austrian Federal Environment Agency, involved 15 people between the ages of 24 and 43 living in and around Vienna.

“Participants recorded all food and drink consumed during the entire study period,” Hartmann explained to EFE this Thursday. In addition, they provided stool samples to the agency’s laboratory for analysis.

Participants were asked to change their habits for two weeks. In the first phase, they should prepare and consume foods that come into contact with plastic as much as possible, such as packaging or kitchen utensils. In the second phase, they spent several days avoiding any contact with plastic in their food, using glass and stainless steel utensils.

At the end of the experiment, Microplastic particles were found in all stool samples analyzed. On average, one gram of feces contained three to four particles.

Traces of polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), common materials in food packaging and consumer products, were also found.

Evidence was also found that diet affects the presence of microplastics

Although this pilot study found no significant differences in the amount of microplastics from using plastic containers and utensils, Hartmann noted “The degree of food processing plays a decisive role.”

Also processed Food consumed by participants, High concentration of microplastics in their feces.

The researcher told EFE that a larger study is still necessary to more clearly establish the relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and the presence of microplastics.

Hartmann also noted that due to the wide variety of foods consumed by participants during the study, it was not possible to identify specific foods associated with higher concentrations of microplastics.

The study’s authors note that the results lay the foundation for future research that seeks to better understand the impact of plastics on human diet and health.

The term microplastics was coined two decades ago, during which science has provided sufficient evidence to adopt a collective approach to address the spread of these contaminants affecting the entire world.