Food Authority To Analyse And Detect Microplastic Contamination In Indian Food Products

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that develop from commercial product development and the breakdown of larger plastics. The widespread use of plastics has led to the presence of microplastics in daily food items. A recent study titled "Microplastics in Salt and Sugar" highlighted an alarming concern that "all Indian salt and sugar brands, whether big or small, packaged or unpackaged, contain microplastics," reported PTI. To address the rising concern for microplastic pollution in food, particularly in India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a new project to assess microplastic contamination in food products and develop methods for its detection, reported PTI.

According to an official statement, the project – Micro-and Nano-Plastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: Establishing Validated Methodologies and Understanding the Prevalence in Different Food Matrices – was started in March this year.

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Finding Microplastics In Indian Food Products

This project aims to develop and validate analytical methods for detecting micro and nano-plastics in various food products, as well as assess their prevalence and exposure levels in India. According to FSSAI, the primary objectives of the project include:

• Developing standard protocols for micro/nano-plastic analysis.
• Conducting intra- and inter-laboratory comparisons.
• Generating critical data on microplastic exposure levels among consumers.

This study is being implemented in collaboration with the CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (Lucknow), ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (Kochi), and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani).

Consuming food with microplastic contamination can negatively impact one's health. Photo: iStock

Finding Data On Microplastic Contamination In Indian Food 

FSSAI said it is committed to ensuring that Indian consumers have access to safe and healthy food. While global studies have highlighted the presence of microplastics in various foods, FSSAI said it is imperative to generate reliable data specific to India. "This project will help understand the extent of microplastic contamination in Indian food and guide the formulation of effective regulations and safety standards to protect public health," the regulator said, reported PTI.

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FSSAI added that the findings from this project will not only inform the regulatory actions but also contribute to the global understanding of microplastic contamination.