A holistic influencer and coach warns TikTok for the harmful effects of using plastic cutting boards. She refers to scientific research for this. Using plastic cutting boards would mean exposure to microplastics. These microplastics are said to contribute to health problems such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, thyroid disease, hormonal imbalance, intestinal problems, infertility and much more.
Screenshot van video on TikTok.
Microplastics can be released when using plastic cutting boards
The TikTok video references a research published in the scientific journal Environmental Science and Technology. The study concludes that plastic cutting boards are a significant source of microplastics in human food.
Micro- en nanoplastics are small pieces of plastic between 1 nanometer and 5 millimeters in size. The research took into account the method of cutting, as well as the material of cutting boards. The researchers found that when heeling polypropylene (PP) more microplastics were released than with polyethylene (HDPE).
In addition to these substances exist plastic cutting boards mainly also out polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Several studies confirm that these plastic materials can release nano- and microplastics when cut with knives. Out research from the United Arab Emirates University, plastic polyethylene cutting boards were found to be the source of microplastic contamination in raw cut fish and chicken. Another research tries to investigate exactly how many microplastics can be released from a plastic cutting board during food preparation.
The fact that plastic is released means that it ends up in your food
Researcher Dr. Maaike Vercauteren from the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at Ghent University, factcheck.vlaanderen informed that it could only find seven scientific articles dealing with microplastic in food due to plastic cutting boards. Research that is only based on three different research groups. “That indicates that it is a little-studied question that has only been discussed very recently,” Vercauteren explains.
Furthermore, there are a number of to research read that when washing meat a large part of the microplastics disappear. According to Vercauteren, this indicates that microplastics are being released, but that this does not mean that they are also
end up in the food, only that they remain on the outside of the food: “In order to make a correct estimate of how many microplastics from our cutting board are effectively absorbed into our gastrointestinal tract, we should look at what happens to these plastics after the cutting.” According to Vercauteren, the latter aspect has not yet been included in the studies.
Little is known about the impact of microplastics on people
Microplastics occur in oceans and rivers, in the air, the soil and also in our food. Once in the environment, they do not biodegrade and can accumulate in animals, such as fishingwhich means they are also consumed by humans as food.
The particles that end up in humans through ingestion, inhalation or skin contact cannot be completely broken down and accumulate in different parts of the body. Based on laboratory research, a mortgage demonstrated between microplastic and the potential negative (eco)toxic and physical effects on living organisms.
So currently there is no proof that microplastic poses a risk to human health. Dr. Vercauteren confirms that ingestion of microplastics will not cause acute illness or death: “We would have noticed that already, since we have been exposed to microplastics for a long time.” What is not yet known is what amounts are safe, or pose risks, when taken daily.
Damage only found at very high quantities
The increasing consumption of plastic does lead to increased exposure of people to microplastics. At high concentrations or high individual sensitivity, microplastics can potentially cause inflammatory lesions, neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s disease), immune disorders, cancer, infertility and hormonal imbalance cause.
Dr. Vercauteren adds nuance here: “A number of factors make it difficult to translate this research into the actual situation. The exposure used in experimental research is not always relevant because very high, unrealistic concentrations are often used.”
Ons gastrointestinal tract is provided with a protective barrier. When ingested, food and any microplastics attached to it must be a all the way travel from our mouth to the stomach and finally to the intestines. During this process, the food, and therefore also the microplastics, will be exposed to digesting, acidic environments. This makes the chance of microplastic being absorbed by our body small.
Conclusion
Plastic cutting boards made of polypropylene or polyethylene can release nano- and microplastics when cut with knives. More research is needed to determine whether these microplastics actually end up in your food. There is currently no evidence that microplastics pose a real risk to human health.
2024-03-31 18:12:44
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