{"id":5380,"date":"2023-07-06T19:49:05","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T12:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=5380"},"modified":"2023-07-06T19:49:05","modified_gmt":"2023-07-06T12:49:05","slug":"is-seafood-safe-from-microplastic-contamination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=5380","title":{"rendered":"Is Seafood Safe from Microplastic Contamination?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Can ingested plastic particles from fish get into our bloodstream?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">I<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">n 1869, a patent was <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/patents.google.com\/patent\/US88633A\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">taken<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> out for a new substance to replace elephant ivory in the production of billiard balls, and the plastics industry was born. Ironically, what started out as a conservation-minded measure has <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26074024\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">turned<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> into an environmental problem. Hundreds of thousands of tons of trillions of tiny plastic particles are now <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25643424\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">floating<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> on the surface of the sea. These particles come from plastic objects, like water bottles, that get worn down into tinier and tinier pieces or from plastic microbeads flowing into the sewers from our sinks.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"> <br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cPlastic microbeads are often <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27237038\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">used<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> as a scrubbing agent in personal care and cosmetic products (PCCPs), such as facial cleanser, shower gel and toothpaste.\u201d And, \u201cup to 94,500 microbeads could go down the drain in a single wash.\u201d Then, when you trawl the oceans, you can find the same beads you find in the facial scrubs. Billions are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26565431\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">emitted<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> into aquatic habitats every day in the United States. \u201cThis equals 2.9 trillion beads per year. If you line these microbeads up end to end\u2026the United States emits enough microbeads to wrap around the planet &gt;7 times.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As I discuss in my video <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/microplastic-contamination-and-seafood-safety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Microplastic Contamination and Seafood Safety<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, the reason this may be a problem is that the plastic <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25643424\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">accumulates<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> toxic compounds from the water and then shuttles them, along with any chemicals originally in the plastic, into marine organisms, concentrating up the food chain and eventually ending up on our plates. As such, the potential hazardous effects on humans evidently include \u201calteration in chromosomes which <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28815367\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">lead<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to infertility, obesity, and cancer.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Let\u2019s take a step back and review the evidence. Plastic gets into the oceans, but does it actually get into the fish? Yes, microplastics have been shown to be ingested by fish and other aquatic animals. But, are we then actually eating plastic-ingesting fish? \u201cYes, we are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26763323\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">eating<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> plastic-ingesting fish.\u201d But don\u2019t we just poop out the plastic?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Small enough microparticles may actually be able to get <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/11489336\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">absorbed<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> through our intestinal wall and enter into our bloodstream. This \u201cuptake of ingested microparticles into small intestinal tissues and on to secondary organs has <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22240063\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">moved<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> from being an anecdotal phenomenon to a recognized and quantifiable process\u201d\u2014but that was in rodents. Just because it\u2019s been demonstrated across a variety of lab animals, doesn\u2019t meant it happens in people. You don\u2019t know until you put it to the test. The closest we have involves human placentas after childbirth. Researchers found that plastic microparticles could indeed <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20064770\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">cross<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> the placental barrier from the maternal bloodstream. So, if the particles could get into a pregnant woman\u2019s circulation, they might get into her baby\u2019s circulation, too.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This is concerning because that plastic debris <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23088563\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">can<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> be a source of toxic chemicals\u2014both the chemical additives in the plastic itself and also the pollutants the plastic <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">sucks<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> up from the water that then can be released into the body. Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the chemical additives that can originate from the plastic itself. Given that BPA concentrations have been measured in plastic debris, microplastics may be a major source of BPA in seafood. No one\u2019s really looked into it\u2014until now: a study <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27800447\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">i<\/a><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27800447\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">nvestigating<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> BPA levels in the edible parts of seafood.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;134245417&quot;:false}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Yes, fish and other seafood present one of the highest BPA contamination levels, but is that just because the study was looking at canned fish products, like tuna and sardines? Manufacturers may use BPA in the lining of food cans directly, but \u201cBPA may leach from the plastic in oceans, causing a direct contamination of fish.\u201d In fact, some argue that this BPA environmental contamination in fish could be worse than the BPA from the cans themselves. You don\u2019t know until you put it to the test.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">At 3:56 in my <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/microplastic-contamination-and-seafood-safety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">video <\/a><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and shown below, you can see a chart with the BPA levels found in canned seafood. The highest levels were found in tuna, cockles, sardines, and blue crabs, but since those were all canned, you don\u2019t know how much is from the can versus the animal until you look at <em>non-canned<\/em> seafood. The study sometimes found even higher levels in some fresh mollusks, clams, flounder, and cod.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-93871\" src=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3-56.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1050\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3-56.png 1920w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3-56-960x525.png 960w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3-56-1024x560.png 1024w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3-56-768x420.png 768w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3-56-1536x840.png 1536w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3-56-1200x656.png 1200w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3-56-720x394.png 720w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3-56-540x295.png 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">That\u2019s not good, since chemicals in plastics such as BPA <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26249746\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">are<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> known endocrine disruptors\u2014that is, known hormone disrupters. And, besides that, fat-soluble pollutants from the seawater can glom onto the microplastic surfaces and potentially present additional risk.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">For more on microplastics, see my videos<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/are-microplastics-in-seafood-a-cancer-risk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Are Microplastics in Seafood a Cancer Risk?<\/span><\/b><\/a> <span data-contrast=\"none\">and<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/how-much-microplastic-is-found-in-fish-fillets\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">How Much Microplastic Is Found in Fish Fillets?<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"et_social_bottom_trigger\"\/>  <\/div>\n<p><script>\n            !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n            {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n                n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n            if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n            n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n            t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n            s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n                'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n            fbq('init', '1582627921973608');\n            fbq('track', 'PageView');\n        <\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Can ingested plastic particles from fish get into our bloodstream?\u00a0 In 1869, a patent was taken out for a new substance to replace elephant ivory in the production of billiard balls, and the plastics industry was born. Ironically, what started out as a conservation-minded measure has turned into an environmental problem. Hundreds of thousands of &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5380"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5380\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}