Hidden risk in Australian meat

Chicken meat could be presenting Australian consumers with a growing risk of microplastics, according to one of the country’s leading meat industry experts.

Co-author: Dr Ben Holman

NSW Government’s Dr Ben Holman has co-authored a first-of-its-kind study into the microplastics ingested by poultry, ruminants and pigs and found evidence of amounts close to maximum safety limits in humans. “Microplastics are present in livestock and poultry production systems, and this poses a threat to animal welfare, productivity and consumer perceptions of meat,” he reported, adding: “Microplastics are present in livestock and poultry tissues at levels that make it a potential consumer safety issue.” 

Established safety limits for human consumption are up to 180,000 particles/kg. 

The literature review that Dr Holman co-authored with UNE’s Luisa Olmo notes that microplastics have been detected in chicken excreta up to 129,800 particles/kg, in pig faeces at up to 112,000 particles/kg and in ruminant faeces up to 50,583 particles/kg.

The researchers were also concerned for potential impact on animal health.  

“Due to the large and growing quantity of microplastics being generated, their ubiquity in agricultural landscapes, their likelihood of being ingested by livestock and poultry, and their potential impacts on performance and meat products, microplastics are a potential risk to livestock and poultry production,” the researchers warned.

Dr Holman said: “No study has investigated the sources of microplastics and effective mitigation measures in livestock supply chains,” adding that preliminary data also show that microplastics are vectors for heavy metals, antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes and microbes.

MICROPLASTICS: WHAT ARE THEY AND DO THEY MATTER? 

Microplastics come from a variety of sources, mostly as larger plastic items – e.g. cling wrap, polyester fabrics, water bottles – degrade into smaller pieces.

A world-leading researcher believes microplastics might be a factor in cancer development in humans. Verena Pichler, an associate professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Vienna said: “Studies suggest that microplastics may have a role in amplifying inflammation… If an inflammatory response persists or is actively promoted by continuous exposure to plastics, this could have implications for tumour formation and disease progression. Although the direct role of microplastics in cancer development is still being investigated, existing scientific databases and studies indicate a probable connection.”

However Food Standards Australia New Zealand says: “Absorption of intact plastic particles from the gut is likely to be very limited. Our current view is that plastic contamination of the food chain is unlikely to result in immediate health risks to consumers.”