New Delhi: A week after a study revealed that all Indian salt and sugar brands, whether large or small, packaged or unpackaged, contain microplastics, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a project to address the issue of microplastic contamination in food.
Microplastics, tiny plastic particles ranging from five millimeters to one micrometer, have been recognized as a global environmental and health threat, found in everything from human blood to plants and animals.
FSSAI began this initiative in March to develop and validate methods for detecting micro and nano-plastics in food products and to assess their prevalence and exposure levels in India. The project aims to establish standard protocols for analysis, conduct lab comparisons, and generate essential data on consumer exposure to microplastics.
FSSAI emphasised the need for reliable India-specific data to understand the extent of microplastic contamination in Indian food and to guide the development of safety regulations. The project is being carried out in collaboration with top research institutions, including CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (Lucknow), ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (Kochi), and Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani).
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recently reported the presence of microplastics in common foods like sugar and salt. FSSAI acknowledged the global concern but stressed the importance of gathering more robust data to fully understand the implications for human health, particularly in India.
The project’s findings will not only guide regulatory measures but also contribute to the global fight against microplastic contamination, making Indian research a key part of this international effort.
