Never heat food like this – 2024-04-02 14:38:50

The exact effect of microplastics on human health is not yet known.

In the light of current research, it seems that the vast majority of microplastics that enter humans through food, drink or skin are carried away by a natural route, i.e. with feces.

Inhaled microplastics mostly stick to the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, where they are inhaled and coughed out.

According to a recent study, microplastics have now also been found in human blood for the first time. In the study, almost 80 percent of people had microplastics in their blood.

A researcher interviewed by the Guardian Dick Vethaakin according to the result is worrying.

Specialist investigator Merja Korkalainen The Institute of Health and Welfare, THL, evaluates the health effects and risks of environmental toxins and chemicals. His field also includes monitoring the health effects of microplastics.

According to Korkalainen, everyday choices can reduce the accumulation of microplastics in the body.

If you want to avoid microplastics, do not heat food in the microwave in a plastic container. Helja Salonen

1. Plastic containers

Microplastics can be released from the plastic container into the food.

The most microplastics in food could be accumulated by putting hot food in a scratched plastic box, which is put in the freezer, and frozen food is thawed and heated in this box in a microwave oven.

– Heating in a microwave oven can release microplastics from the plastic container into the food, says Korkalainen.

In general, food should not be heated in the microwave in a plastic container if you want to avoid microplastics entering the body with the food.

In the refrigerator, food should be stored in glass or metal containers rather than in old, scratched plastic boxes.

2. Beverage bottles

As a water bottle, you should preferably use metal or glass bottles, and not bottles of bottled water.

Korkalainen himself prefers Finnish bottled waters.

– Domestic bottled waters are safer, because there are hardly any microplastics in Finnish tap water.

Local waters have been used in foreign bottled waters, the microplastic content of which can be in a completely different category than in Finland.

Korkalainen would reuse the thin and light plastic bottles of bottled water as a water bottle only a few times at most, not constantly.

The biggest risk of microplastics in bottled water seems to be their caps.

3. Cleaning

At home, mopping floors and surfaces removes microplastics from home textiles and clothing that have been blown into the air and accumulated on surfaces.

4. Clothes

Fleece clothing, soft shell clothing and other technical materials contain microplastics. Technical materials are often used in sportswear.

Especially clothes made of these materials should always be washed before the first use. After the first wash, less microplastics come off than before.

5. Food

Mussels and oysters clearly contain the most microplastics in food, where microplastics accumulate because they filter large amounts of water containing microplastics every day.

Shellfish can also contain many times more microplastics than other edibles. Among other things, shrimps and crabs are such crustaceans.

Due to fining, fish is not a significant source of microplastics for humans.

Although there is almost no research evidence of the harmful health effects of microplastics, specialist researcher Korkalainen thinks that Finns do not need to be very worried about their intake of microplastics.

– More harm to health can occur if a person is very concerned about the intake of microplastics and starts to watch their intake all the time, he relates.