It isn’t just seafood that’s loaded with microplastic pollution. In a new study, scientists found microplastics in nearly 90 of sampled meats and meat-like alternatives – including seafood, chicken breasts, beef steaks, tofu, and plant-based burgers.

It’s become well-documented that seafood is often tainted with the presence of microplastics due to the shockingly high quantities of plastic in the planet’s oceans. For instance, a 2017 review found that regular eaters of fish and shellfish could be ingesting up to 11,000 microparticles a year.

However, until now, there’s been relatively little research into the prevalence of plastic in terrestrial protein sources, like beef and chicken.

To pry into the issue, scientists at Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto sampled 16 protein types, including highly processed protein products and minimally processed “fresh” products.

  • @[email protected]
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    fedilink
    411 months ago

    I’m also curious if the source is microplastics in live animals or if it’s from processing.

    • @werefreeatlast
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      111 months ago

      Yes, but also maybe just stop eating animals. I did and it was fine.

        • @werefreeatlast
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          111 months ago

          I didn’t. I’m to old to care. This is a problem for people in their 20s. You guys need to kick the dying dinosaurs from Congress and replace them with people who care.