Scientists give urgent warning about eating cheese – because they discover thousands of dangerous microplastics lurking in dairy products

Whether it is an adult cheddar or a crumbly feta, cheese is one of the most popular foods around the world.

But in the news that fans of the multi -like treat, scientists have given an urgent warning about eating cheese.

For the first time, a groundbreaking study has shown that these dairy products are ‘ripe in microplastics’.

Scientists believe that the small plastic particles, which measure 5 mm or smaller, can enter cheese in different production stages.

Their analysis showed that the most polluted products were aged cheeses – which were more than four months old – with a stunning 1,857 plastic particles per kilogram.

For comparison, this means that a aged cheese contains about 45 times more microplastics than bottled water.

Fresh cheeses contain 1,280 particles per kilogram, while even milk itself was contaminated with 350 microplastic pieces per kilogram.

The long -term effects of these microplastics on human health remain careful.

The most common type of microplastic particles were fiber like this. Of the 28 tested samples, 19 contained the plastic poly (ethylene tereftalate), 15 contained polyethylene and 12 contained polypropylene

Microplastics are now almost omnipresent in our food supply chains and even in our body.

The small fragments of plastic have been found everywhere, from bottled beer and chewing gum to tea bags.

Previous studies have found Titchy Plastic speckles in powdered and packaged milk, yogurt, butter and sour cream.

However, this is the first time that they have been discovered in cheese, whereby the shockingly high levels of researchers have Gobsmacked.

The researchers believe that cheese contains more microplastics than other dairy products because of how it is produced.

When milk is converted into cheese, the liquid whey is removed, leaving only the fixed curd behind.

In their paper, published in the magazine NPJ Science of FoodThe researchers explain that this process reduces the total mass, ‘concentrate on fixed components, including each MP [microplastic] Fragments. ‘

Joint research by University College Dublin and the Italian University of Padova showed that the majority of microplastics in dairy products consists of the polymen PET, polyethylene and polypropylene.

Researchers have discovered that ripe cheese contains no less than 1,857 plastic particles per kilogram, while fresh cheeses contain 1,280 particles per kilogram (stock image)

These microscopic fibers and pieces suggest that most microplastics in dairy are added during the production process.

The researchers write: “These findings indicate synthetic textiles as a likely source of fiber contamination, possibly introduced by filtration systems, protective clothing (such as laboratory jackets, gloves or fireplaces in laboratory or food processing institutions), remains of synthetic materials or light-hearted materials.”

Larger, irregular plastic fragments found in the cheese were probably produced by the breakdown of plastic packaging, processing equipment or machine components.

However, the high levels of microplastics in milk also suggest that these contaminants may rather come to dairy products in the production process.

Previous studies have shown that raw milk samples contain on average 190 microplastic particles per liter.

Milk can even be polluted by microplastics in the diet given to animals.

Because microplastics are so small, they can go through cell membranes in the body, food in the stomach, in the blood and then in milk.

This is the same reason that microplastics have now been detected in human breast milk.

Research is currently investigating how microplastics influence human health in the infancy, but there is a growing amount of evidence that suggests that they can be harmful.

More than a third of the microplastics found in cheese was between 50 and 100 micrometers in size, but many were even smaller than that. Almost 20 percent of all particles were less than 50 micrometers, so they could pass through membranes in the body

Because plastics contain chemicals that are known as toxic or carcinogen, scientists are concerned that a structure of microplastics can damage in our body.

In rodent studies it has been established that exposure to high levels of microplastics damage organs, including the intestines, lungs, liver and reproductive system.

In humans, early studies have suggested a potential relationship between microplastic exposure and disorders such as cardiovascular disease and intestinal cancer.

For this reason, the researchers warn that the levels of microplastics in dairy products must be further studied to keep customers safe.

The study said: “Given the complexity of the dairy sector and the extensive use of plastic materials along the entire production chain, understanding the paths, which means that microplastics dairy products come in crucial for guaranteeing food safety and the assessment of potential health risks.”

Industry Journal FoodNavigator added: ‘Cheese is ripe in microplastics, has demonstrated a groundbreaking study.

‘It is not only water and fish, microplastics are also abundant in cheese, a new study discovered.

“The research, which is the first time that academics assess the presence of microplastics in cheese, showed that aged cheese contained the highest amount of particles.”