#Dietarysafety

Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments smaller than 5 millimeters that pervade our environment and increasingly enter human bodies. Recent research in the United States found microplastics in autopsy brain tissue, highlighting the particles’ ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in organs. While the full health impact remains under study, these findings add to growing evidence of widespread exposure since earlier research in 2016.

The relevance for Thailand is clear. As Thai consumers increasingly enjoy processed foods and rely on plastic packaging, the risk of microplastic contamination rises. Data from various international studies indicate that a large share of protein-rich foods, including seafood popular in Thai cuisine, contain microplastics, with processed products showing higher levels. Given Thailand’s long coastline and seafood-centric diet, this issue has local resonance. Breaded shrimp and other commonly eaten items have shown notable microplastic presence in some analyses.

Microplastics, the tiny plastic fragments under 5 millimeters in diameter, have emerged as pervasive pollutants in our ecosystem, infiltrating even human bodies. Recent studies in New Mexico have discovered microplastics in autopsy samples from human brains, revealing an alarming capacity to breach the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in our tissues. This breakthrough, initially reported on in 2024, underscores the escalating presence of microplastics, which has significantly increased compared to studies conducted in 2016. Despite the omnipresence of these particles, which originate from the breakdown of larger plastic items and are distributed through environmental pathways such as landfills and water systems, the full extent of their impact on human health remains uncertain.