Reports reveal microplastics in the meat and milk of farm animals

As plastic pollution in its various forms remains unchecked around the world, the pervasiveness of microplastic contamination has flabbergasted scientists. Such contamination was hitherto only seen in soil, water and even human blood as of March 2022 by VUA researchers. These experts found that the detection of these contaminants in blood reveal that they can travel within the body and camp in organs. So, they checked to see whether animal products contained microplastics. And as a first, it has been detected in beef and pig meat along with the blood of farm animals.

Image source: Krishijaagran

Tainted feed samples

Earlier it was established that consumers ended up absorbing minuscule units via food and drink or while taking in oxygen. But now enormous quantities of plastic garbage is thrown in the rivers, on mountainsides and even in the country. The environment is as a result polluted heavily with microplastics; right from the depths of the seas to the last glaciers. Be it cows and pigs on farms, the researchers tested every animal product to discern contamination. Incidentally, they discovered it in all samples of animal feed, be it pellet or fodder, which hints at a significant path of pollution. Moreover, the products were wrapped in plastic and this can be another way the contamination occurred.
 

Gauging the extent of the contamination

Now, experts from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA) in the Netherlands noticed the units of microplastics in ¾ portions of meat and milk products that they checked. It also showed up in all of the samples in their study. “When you’re measuring blood, you’re finding out the absorbed dose from all the different exposure routes: air, water, food, et cetera,” said Dr Heather Leslie at VUA. “So, it’s very interesting because it immediately tells you what’s penetrating into the river of life. It should act as an impetus to further explore the full scope of exposure and any risks that may be associated with it,” said Leslie.

Discover the findings of the study

The one-of-a-kind study was initiated to measure if microplastics are existing in farm animals. Be it in the form of meat or milk, the object of the study was to ascertain whether such tainted meat can harm consumers. The studies revealed that plastic present in animal feed went into people who consumed the animals. To assess it further scientists verified 12 samples of cows’ blood and 12 of pigs’ blood. To their astonishment, they detected polyethylene and polystyrene in it. Note: The 25 milk samples were sourced from supermarket cartons of milk, milk tanks on farms and hand-milking. 18/25 samples showed microplastics. The alarming fact was the finding which showed that 7/8 beef samples and 5/8 pig meat samples were tainted. “It remains unknown if there are any potential toxicological risks of these findings,” the report said.
 

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A pressing need to safeguard the health of livestock and humans

The effect of microplastics on human health or animal health is to be investigated now. Although, studies show that certain wildlife may already be harmed due to microplastics. Nevertheless, experts express worry as such contaminants are one of the reasons why human cells sustain damage. After all, air pollution particles have been known to go into the human body and kill millions each year. Maria Westerbos at the Plastic Soup Foundation, which commissioned the research, said: “With microplastics present in livestock feed, it is not surprising that a clear majority of the meat and dairy products tested contained microplastics. We urgently need to rid the world of plastic in animal feed to protect the health of livestock and humans.” At the moment several other nations are yet to conduct these tests, but in 2021 itself, Switzerland reported microplastics in store-bought milk, while in France they were found in farm milk.

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