Latest news with #MaryamSalehi
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Officials issue warning following recall of popular food item: 'Do not use, sell, serve or distribute'
A supermarket in Ontario, Canada, recalled ground beef due to the possibility that it contained pieces of plastic. K-Tilbury Food Market Ltd. recalled the beef in early March. The meat in question was sold at a Foodland in Tilbury, Ontario, according to local outlet Inside Halton. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency urged people to check their food and dispose of any of the affected ground beef. "Do not use, sell, serve or distribute the affected products," their notice read. People were also encouraged to seek medical advice if they believed they had consumed the product. Inside Halton explained that the CFIA had categorized this as a Class II recall, indicating a "moderate risk that consuming the recalled food may lead to short-term or non-life threatening health problems." The sizes of the plastic pieces in this recall remain unclear. Depending on the sizes involved, the health risks could include anything from choking hazards to chemical exposure. Overall, plastic pollution is difficult to contend with since these materials are everywhere and don't biodegrade. Microplastics can be particularly difficult to identify and clean up since they are, by definition, less than 5 millimeters in size. And they can show up in our food and water systems. When consumed or inhaled, this material can endure in the body. Research has linked microplastics to hormonal imbalances, chronic disease, and cancer, among other conditions. Plastics can also contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — commonly referred to as PFAS for short or "forever chemicals" since they can remain in the body for long periods. These chemicals have also been linked to serious health concerns, such as infertility and cancer. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, "One report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), found PFAS in the blood of 97% of Americans." Do you worry about the quality of the air inside your home? Yes — often Yes — but only sometimes Only when it's bad outside No — I never do Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. A number of studies in the past several years have begun to shed light on the prevalence of plastics in various foods. A 2024 paper published in the journal Environmental Research that looked at the presence of microplastics in proteins in particular called for "further research, specifically into [microplastic] contamination in plant-based proteins and terrestrial meats (chicken, beef and pork)." And a study published in 2025 in the Journal of Hazardous Materials showed that microplastics might enter food and water systems through some types of controlled-release fertilizers. Study co-author Maryam Salehi told The Guardian: "We need to inform farmers. When they choose their products, they need to know that these have some potential risks." More research is needed to grow our understanding of how plastics of all sizes and types might come to pollute our foods. But individuals can also mitigate their exposure now by reducing their use of single-use plastics in food prep and storage as well as limiting the purchase of items that come wrapped in the stuff. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Slow-release fertilizers can spread microplastics on US cropland
Fertilizers that shed microplastics are increasingly spreading on America's cropland, research shows, raising new worry about the soil contamination and safety of the US food supply. A peer-reviewed University of Missouri paper found common types of slow-release fertilizers are often encapsulated with plastic and can be so small that they could be considered microplastics. Those are designed to break down into even smaller pieces of plastic once spread in fields. The tiny bits of plastic can end up in water and soil at alarming levels, the paper's lead author said, and the substance is likely taken up by crops. Until now, the slow fertilizers have been thought to be safe, said Maryam Salehi, a lead author and researcher with the University of Missouri. 'We need to inform farmers,' Salehi said. 'When they choose their products, they need to know that these have some potential risks. Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic either intentionally added to consumer goods, or which are products of larger plastics breaking down. The particles contain any number of 16,000 plastic chemicals, of which thousands, such as BPA, phthalates and Pfas, present serious health risks. The substance has been found throughout the human body, and is linked to an increased risk of heart attack and cancer. It's also considered to be a neurotoxicant that can cause multiple forms of brain dysfunction, such as Parkinson's disease. Salehi said it is unclear which other chemicals are in the fertilizer plastic. Testing has found microplastics in a wide range of foods, including produce. Some of the slow release fertilizer pieces are less than five millimeters, which makes them microplastics by definition. But once they are in the soil, they 'break down into tiny, tiny particles' when a tractor runs over them, or someone walks on ground where they've been spread, Salehi said. That is worrying because smaller bits can more easily move through the environment than larger pieces of plastic, Salehi said. The study found most of the microplastics stayed in the soil, but some were washed into nearby water sources by rain or irrigation processes. The paper did not measure how much of the microplastics ended up in crops, but previous research has found that they can be taken up. Other papers have found that the bits of plastic may actually reduce soil quality. 'There is additional concern about the impact on food safety,' Salehi said. But the problem may be rather easy to solve. There are many types of slow release fertilizers, including those that are encapsulated with biodegradable materials, Salehi said. However, the plastic versions work well so the industry for now seems to be sticking with them, she added.
The Guardian
11-03-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Slow-release fertilizers can spread microplastics on US cropland
Fertilizers that shed microplastics are increasingly spreading on America's cropland, research shows, raising new worry about the soil contamination and safety of the US food supply. A peer-reviewed University of Missouri paper found common types of slow-release fertilizers are often encapsulated with plastic and can be so small that they could be considered microplastics. Those are designed to break down into even smaller pieces of plastic once spread in fields. The tiny bits of plastic can end up in water and soil at alarming levels, the paper's lead author said, and the substance is likely taken up by crops. Until now, the slow fertilizers have been thought to be safe, said Maryam Salehi, a lead author and researcher with the University of Missouri. 'We need to inform farmers,' Salehi said. 'When they choose their products, they need to know that these have some potential risks. Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic either intentionally added to consumer goods, or which are products of larger plastics breaking down. The particles contain any number of 16,000 plastic chemicals, of which thousands, such as BPA, phthalates and Pfas, present serious health risks. The substance has been found throughout the human body, and is linked to an increased risk of heart attack and cancer. It's also considered to be a neurotoxicant that can cause multiple forms of brain dysfunction, such as Parkinson's disease. Salehi said it is unclear which other chemicals are in the fertilizer plastic. Testing has found microplastics in a wide range of foods, including produce. Some of the slow release fertilizer pieces are less than five millimeters, which makes them microplastics by definition. But once they are in the soil, they 'break down into tiny, tiny particles' when a tractor runs over them, or someone walks on ground where they've been spread, Salehi said. That is worrying because smaller bits can more easily move through the environment than larger pieces of plastic, Salehi said. The study found most of the microplastics stayed in the soil, but some were washed into nearby water sources by rain or irrigation processes. The paper did not measure how much of the microplastics ended up in crops, but previous research has found that they can be taken up. Other papers have found that the bits of plastic may actually reduce soil quality. 'There is additional concern about the impact on food safety,' Salehi said. But the problem may be rather easy to solve. There are many types of slow release fertilizers, including those that are encapsulated with biodegradable materials, Salehi said. However, the plastic versions work well so the industry for now seems to be sticking with them, she added.
