Microplastics in meat and dairy products

Following a recent revelation in 2022 that microplastics were found in human blood for the first time, researchers have also found microplastics in meat and dairy products.

They have also been identified in oceans, rivers, fish, and the blood of farm animals as reported by plantbasednews.org They were even found in the air we breathe, following a study of the mountain air in the French Pyrenees. 

Microplastic is the term used to describe tiny pieces of plastic smaller than 5mm in size. They were discovered recently in farm animals by the Netherlands’ Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA). More than 10 samples of beef and pork were investigated, with at least half containing microplastics.  

Recent studies have also revealed that humans consume, on average, around five grams of microplastics every week. It has been revealed that they damage both our bodies and the bodies of farm animals by damaging cells and potentially causing life threatening allergic reactions. 

The organisation Plastic Soup Foundation, which spearheaded the research, have stated that “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”. 

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