Key Update

Expressing concern over the health risks posed by microplastics in food and water packaged in plastic containers, a special division bench of the Madras High Court on Friday urged the Centre to mandate warning labels on such products.

Impact on Pregnant Women and Future Generations

The bench, comprising Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy, noted that microplastics in food could harm human health, particularly pregnant women, and adversely affect future generations. The judges suggested warnings similar to those printed on liquor bottles and said appropriate orders would follow.

Centre Submits Status Report

Following the court’s directions, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which the court suo motu impleaded as a party, submitted a report detailing steps taken to study microplastics in plastic-packaged food and water. Advocate V. Chandrasekaran filed the report on behalf of the Ministry.

FSSAI Launches Research Project

The report stated that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched a project titled “Micro and Nano Plastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: Establishing Validated Methodologies and Understanding the Prevalence in Different Food Matrices.”

FSSAI is conducting the study in collaboration with the CSIR–Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow; ICAR–Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Kochi; and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani.

Sampling and Preliminary Findings

According to the report, researchers have outlined geographically zoned sampling strategies to analyse bottled water, packaged beverages, fresh and dried fish, and fish meal. Although the study is ongoing, preliminary findings have detected the highest levels of microplastics in iodised salt, followed by black salt and rock salt. The report also noted that the participating institutions held a joint meeting to discuss the risk assessment of microplastic exposure through food.

Source: The New Indian Express