Summary
Diners in China who season their meals with sea salt may be unwittingly consuming microscopic pieces of plastic. Researchers have analyzed fifteen brands of common table salt bought at supermarkets across China, they found among the grains of seasoning micro-sized particles of the common water bottle plastic polyethylene terephthalate, as well as polyethylene, cellphone, and a wide variety of other plastics. It's been found that the highest level of plastic contamination was in salt sourced from the ocean. Measured more than 250 particles of plastic per lb of sea salt. A team lead by Huahong Shi of East China Normal University have also found tiny particles of plastic in salt sourced from briny lakes, wells, and salt mines, although at lower levels between 3 and 165 particles/lb. Plastic contamination originates from the vast amount of plastic pollution floating around marine environments where sea salt is sourced. Researchers added that other points of entry for plastic contamination are also possible, including during salt processing, drying, and packaging. According to Shi's team, if a person were consuming Chinese sea salt at the maximal salt dose recommended by the World Health Organization, then that person would ingest about 1,000 plastic micro particles annually. Still less than the estimated 11,000 particles of micro plastic ingested annually in Europe by consumers of shellfish, which can get contaminated by the tiny bits of marine pollution, according to a report released last year.
Diners in China who season their meals with sea salt may be unwittingly consuming microscopic pieces of plastic. Researchers have analyzed fifteen brands of common table salt bought at supermarkets across China, they found among the grains of seasoning micro-sized particles of the common water bottle plastic polyethylene terephthalate, as well as polyethylene, cellphone, and a wide variety of other plastics. It's been found that the highest level of plastic contamination was in salt sourced from the ocean. Measured more than 250 particles of plastic per lb of sea salt. A team lead by Huahong Shi of East China Normal University have also found tiny particles of plastic in salt sourced from briny lakes, wells, and salt mines, although at lower levels between 3 and 165 particles/lb. Plastic contamination originates from the vast amount of plastic pollution floating around marine environments where sea salt is sourced. Researchers added that other points of entry for plastic contamination are also possible, including during salt processing, drying, and packaging. According to Shi's team, if a person were consuming Chinese sea salt at the maximal salt dose recommended by the World Health Organization, then that person would ingest about 1,000 plastic micro particles annually. Still less than the estimated 11,000 particles of micro plastic ingested annually in Europe by consumers of shellfish, which can get contaminated by the tiny bits of marine pollution, according to a report released last year.
Reflection
Plastic pollution not only is a problem that is happening in a certain area, but it's happening in other parts of the world. Reading about how diners in China have been seasoning their meals with salt can also mean that we might also be seasoning micro-sized particles in our meals. Another thing that I read is that it's been found that the highest level of plastic contamination was in the salt coming from the sea; isn't shocking considering the fact that the ocean contains lots and lots of plastic as well as other stuff. I' guessing that the salt here is exterminated and tested before it's packaged and sent to the markets.
Plastic pollution not only is a problem that is happening in a certain area, but it's happening in other parts of the world. Reading about how diners in China have been seasoning their meals with salt can also mean that we might also be seasoning micro-sized particles in our meals. Another thing that I read is that it's been found that the highest level of plastic contamination was in the salt coming from the sea; isn't shocking considering the fact that the ocean contains lots and lots of plastic as well as other stuff. I' guessing that the salt here is exterminated and tested before it's packaged and sent to the markets.