The microplastic contamination in food products is a growing problem that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken up as an urgent project. FSSAI recognises the risk that microplastics in food pose and so it seeks to make sure the things we consume are safe, with no dangerous substances.

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What Is the Project About?

The name of this project is “Micro-and Nano-Plastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: Establishing Validated Methodologies and Understanding the Prevalence in Different Food Matrices” which commenced this year in March.

This primarily aims at coming up with validated methods for detecting micro and nano plastics in various Indian foods. The spread of this contamination as well as how exposed Indians are will also be studied under this project.

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Why Is This Important?

Reports recently released by organisations such as FAO have indicated that sugar and salt may contain microplastics. It should be noted that these reports offer global outlooks, but specific data must be produced for India.

By knowing how much microplastic contamination there is in Indian foods, FSSAI will facilitate the creation of effective regulatory measures and standards of safety.

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Collaboration With Top Research Institutions

To undertake this research, FSSAI collaborates closely with some prominent research institutions in India.

This comprises CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research located at Lucknow, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology situated in Kochi, and Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani among others.

The development of standard protocols for examination purposes targeting analysis of microplastics in food, conducting laboratory comparisons as well and producing critical exposure data calls for assistance from these organisations.

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Impact On Public Health

These are small plastic particles known as microplastics, which can be found everywhere including in our food. Various studies have shown that they may harm people’s health if consumed. The Indian society's health will be safe as this research will allow it to know how many microplastics in food there are and how dangerous these substances are.

What Will This Project Achieve?

The findings obtained from this project will assist FSSAI as well as other regulatory bodies in coming up with guidelines and safety standards for curbing microplastic contamination in food. By doing so, the project intends to improve public health and guarantee the availability of clean and safe nutrition in India.

Conclusion

One of the major steps towards food safety in India is an FSSAI initiative that concerns microplastic contamination. To protect human health, FSSAI has chosen to cooperate with leading research organisations and focus on creating dependable detection approaches. The corresponding results will support further legislative development while adding facts to global knowledge about microplastic contamination.

To stay informed and learn more about FSSAI’s initiatives, click here to visit the official FSSAI website.