According to recent research, microplastics can harm your lungs, heart and reproductive system, check how it affects your health.

All Indian salt and sugar brands, whether small or large, packaged or unpackaged, contain microplastics, a study published on Tuesday showed.

The study, “Microplastics in Salt and Sugar,” conducted by the environmental research organization Toxics Link, tested 10 types of salt, including table salt, rock salt, sea salt, and local raw salt, and five types of sugar purchased from both online. and local markets.

size of Microplastics in salt and sugar

The study revealed the presence of microplastics in all salt and sugar samples, including fibers, pellets, films and fragments. These microplastics range in size from 0.1 mm to 5 mm.

The amount of microplastics in the salt samples ranged from 6.71 to 89.15 pieces per kg of dry weight, the report said.

In the sugar samples, the concentration of microplastics ranged from 11.85 to 68.25 pieces per kilogram, with the highest amount found in non-organic sugar.

High levels of microplastics were found in the form of iodized salt, multi-colored thin fibers and films.

Iodized salt had the highest amount of microplastics (89.15 pieces per kilogram) while organic rock salt had the lowest (6.70 pieces per kilogram), according to the study.

How does microplastic affect your health?

An earlier study found that the average Indian consumes 10.98 grams of salt and about 10 teaspoons of sugar per day. It is much higher than the limit recommended by the World Health Organization. Microplastics harm both health and the environment. These small plastic particles can enter the human body through food, water and air.

Research has found microplastics in the lungs, heart, and even breast milk and unborn babies. Results from cellular and animal experiments have shown that microplastics can affect various systems in the human body, such as the digestive, reproductive and immune systems.

Physical irritation in the gastrointestinal tract can cause inflammation, resulting in a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms. Microplastics can alter the gut microbiome and create an imbalance between beneficial and harmful bacteria, leading to abdominal pain, bloating and altered bowel habits.

'Concerning and Calls for Urgent Research' says the Toxics link

“The aim of our study was to contribute to the existing scientific database on microplastics so that the Global Plastics Agreement can address this issue in a concrete and focused manner,” said Ravi Agrawal, Founder-Director of Toxics Link.

“Our goal is to initiate policy action and draw researchers' attention to possible technological interventions that can reduce the risks of exposure to microplastics.”

“Our study found high levels of microplastics in all salt and sugar samples, and there is an urgent need for more comprehensive research into the long-term health effects of microplastics on human health,” added Satish Sinha, associate director of ToxicsLink.

(with inputs from PTI)