A recent study on protein-rich foods, including beef and tofu, revealed microplastics in nearly 90% of samples.
What happened?
Researchers from the Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto analyzed more than a dozen different types of proteins including seafood, pork, chicken, beef, and tofu. They found microplastics in nearly 90% of the samples they tested and estimated that the average American adult may consume at least 11,000 pieces of microplastics each year.
Per serving, breaded shrimp had the most microplastics, followed by plant-based nuggets and chicken nuggets. Chicken breasts, pork loin chops, and tofu had the least.
Because highly processed products like breaded shrimp and chicken nuggets contained significantly more microplastic particles per gram, researchers suggested that food processing could be a source of contamination.