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Page No. : 43-49

ABSTRACT

It is the hard fact that almost all plastic materials ever produced are still in our environment and due to their slow wear and tear it is apparent that the contamination of various food items with microplastics (MPs) will increase in coming years. Due to the possible MPs associated adverse health effects, occurrence of MPs in foods including animal sourced foods like milk, meat, fish etc., has become an emerging public health concern worldwide. Many studies are available in literature on the occurrence of MPs in fish, shellfish, and aquatic ecosystems, but research on the presence and levels of MPs in other foods and their consequences on human health is still in initial stages. Possible adverse effects from MPs exposure through food can arise either from MPs themselves (leaching of plastics monomers and additives) or from absorbed/adsorbed environmental contaminants or microbes that colonies MPs. This review article summarizes exposure routes of MPs to animals, occurrence of MPs in animal sourced foods and possible human health risks associated with MPs exposure.

Keywords: Fish, human, health, meat, microplastics, milk