Microplastics detected in the meat, milk and blood of farm animals

Microplastic contamination was first reported in beef and pork, as well as in the blood of cows and pigs on farms.

Scientists at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA) in the Netherlands found the particles in three quarters of meat and dairy products tested and in every blood sample in their pilot study.

They were also found in every sample of pelleted animal feed tested, indicating a potentially important route of contamination. Food products were wrapped in plastic, which is another possible route.

VUA researchers first reported microplastics in human blood in March , and they used the same methods to test animal products. The discovery of the particles in the blood shows that they can travel through the body and lodge in the organs.

The impact on human or animal health is still unknown, But researchers are worried because microplastics are damaging human cells in the lab and air pollution particles are already entering the body and causing millions of premature deaths each year. Some wildlife species are also known to be damaged by microplastics.

Huge amounts of plastic waste are being dumped into the environment, and microplastics have contaminated the entire planet, from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans. People were already known to consume the tiny particles via food and water as well as by inhaling them.

"When you measure the blood, you find out the absorbed dose from all the different routes of exposure: air, water, food, etc," said VUA's Dr Heather Leslie. "So it's very interesting because it tells you immediately what's entering the river of life. "

The pilot study was conducted to assess whether microplastics are present in farm animals, meat and dairy. "This should prompt further exploration of the extent full exposure and any risks that may be associated with it," Leslie said. spacefinder-role="richLink" data-spacefinder-type="model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement" class="dcr-1mfia18"/ >

Scientists tested 12 samples of cow's blood and 12 of pig's blood and found microplastics in each of them, including polyethylene and polystyrene. The 25 milk samples included milk from supermarket cartons, on-farm milk tanks and hand milking milk. Eighteen of the samples, including at least one of each type, contained microplastics.

Seven of the eight beef samples and five of the eight pork samples were contaminated. “It remains unclear whether there are any potential toxicological risks associated with these findings,” the report states. Farm animals and meat have not yet been tested in other countries, but microplastics have been reported in milk purchased in Switzerland in 2021 and f...