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Microplastics Found In 88 Percent Of Sampled Food, From Sirloin Steaks To Plant-Based Burgers (www.iflscience.com)

submitted 1 year ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/science@lemmy.world

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It isn’t just seafood that’s loaded with microplastic pollution. In a new study, scientists found microplastics in nearly 90 of sampled meats and meat-like alternatives – including seafood, chicken breasts, beef steaks, tofu, and plant-based burgers.

It’s become well-documented that seafood is often tainted with the presence of microplastics due to the shockingly high quantities of plastic in the planet’s oceans. For instance, a 2017 review found that regular eaters of fish and shellfish could be ingesting up to 11,000 microparticles a year.

However, until now, there’s been relatively little research into the prevalence of plastic in terrestrial protein sources, like beef and chicken.

To pry into the issue, scientists at Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto sampled 16 protein types, including highly processed protein products and minimally processed "fresh" products.

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[-] Arthur_Leywin@lemmy.world 39 points 1 year ago

21st century seasoning

[-] Cheradenine@sh.itjust.works 81 points 1 year ago

[-] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

Lmao I’m stealing that

[-] oDDmON@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

Actually 20th, if the scene from The Graduate was any indication.

[-] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 34 points 1 year ago

... there is no way 10% of our food doesn't contain microplastics

[-] Aielman15@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago

Ugh, I hate it when my plastic has meat in it.

[-] Godric@lemmy.world 23 points 1 year ago

Y'all need to up your game

[-] zaphod@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 year ago

No, stop grinding your plastics.

[-] MaxVoltage@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

c/lego

[-] BloodSlut@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

[-] Someology@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

I keep hearing George Carlin's old comedy routine about how we evolved because Mother Earth needed plastic for reasons, and now that we've made enough to last a very long time, she can get rid of us...

[-] Thorry84@feddit.nl 7 points 1 year ago

I swear I'm not fat! I just have a lot of microplastics in me.

[-] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

They should compare meat from cans, from plastic bags and fresh meat....get a live chicken and stab it a few times with a sample core auger. Right? How could we beat torture the animals before we eat them? Grinding them up using plastic bushings makes plastic particles, grinding them using stones makes stone particles. Finally grinding them using carbides and metals leaves carbide and metal particles!

We chew... maybe our methods of animal torture should include calcium carbonate tools, smashers, mushers, cutters, grinders, etc? All particles would then be made of stuff that is good for us.

[-] Dud@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

How high are you?

[-] bigMouthCommie@kolektiva.social 6 points 1 year ago

what?!

[-] Kit 4 points 1 year ago

I'm also curious if the source is microplastics in live animals or if it's from processing.

[-] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Yes, but also maybe just stop eating animals. I did and it was fine.

[-] Kit 2 points 1 year ago

Did you read the article? Microplastics are found in plant sources too.t

[-] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I didn't. I'm to old to care. This is a problem for people in their 20s. You guys need to kick the dying dinosaurs from Congress and replace them with people who care.

[-] BulbasaurBabu@lemmings.world 1 points 1 year ago

Hell yeah veg

[-] uriel238 4 points 1 year ago

Yes. Microplastics is slower gray goo.

[-] sagrotan@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

For years, we got our farmers and hunters where we get our meat, search on your vicinity, it's not only better, it's cheaper in the long run. You'll notice that you'll eat less meat, but better one. Stop the supermarket overlords.