Usage Of Plastics In Food Industry Rampant But Major Concern Is Discharge Of Industrial Waste Into Rivers: Expert

Ingestion of plasticizers can lead to endocrine disruption, infertility and other reproductive issues, as suggested by studies. Expert share tips on how you can avoid ingestion of such harmful chemicals.

Recently, a research team from the George Washington University detected high level of phthalates and other plasticizers in the samples of popular fast-food items like cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and burritos bought from well-known food outlets in the United States. These chemicals are associated with many serious health problems. To understand how plasticizers are harmful to our health and the degree of prevalence of usage of these chemicals in food industry in India, we spoke to Sarika Kumari, HOD of MitraSk Food Testing.

According to the expert, the usage of plastic items in food industry is rampant but the bigger concern is the river water which is being polluted by the plastic manufacturing and other industries.

Excerpts from the exclusive interaction with Sarika Kumari:

Q. How ingestion of plasticizers is harmful to our health?

Ingestion of plasticizers can lead to endocrine disruption as suggested by few studies. These pollutants can lead to infertility and other reproductive issues. However, these studies are conducted in countries other than India and hence can't say about the Indian population.

Q. According to the US study, phthalates and replacement plasticizers can migrate out of plastics into the food. What could be the solution to this problem?

Migration of plasticizers is not an easy process, and it does not happen if good quality products are used. If the plastic items are overused and not discarded, then the leaching happens at faster rate. There will always be side effects of things which are not natural but that needs to be evaluated properly before giving any conclusion.

More than the use of gloves and plastic there is migration of harmful chemical form inks used on newspaper as the papers are used for selling food items wrapped in it. This ink contains harmful chemicals and heavy metals which can lead to digestive issues.

Q. In India, what steps have been taken to avoid these industrial chemicals in food supply industry.

For plastic material or any packaging material, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has regulations for testing whether that material is food grade or not. Migration test is being made mandatory for testing of packaging material and is followed by the industry but an awareness at larger level is required.

Q. Has the presence of plasticizers detected in any food items sold in India?

The usage of plastic items in food industry is rampant but the major concern is the river water which is being polluted by the plastic manufacturing and other industries. Wastewater discharge from these industries leads to the addition of Purpose Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are few types of plasticizers. These are of global concern because of their serious environmental impacts. In India, DBP and BBP were the only phthalates previously reported in Bahruli River in Assam below the detection limit by Roy and Kalita (2011). Few more studies are done afterwards for water and sediment samples in other rivers in India which has shown a concern.

There are various regulations for discharge of wastewater into the rivers and is being followed by the industry but is violated also and that's why the river water shows more than the safer level.

Q. Share some tips on how people can avoid/reduce ingestion of such harmful chemicals.

PAH and PCBs are of greater concern. There are drinking water regulations like IS 10500 and IS 14543 which has test parameters related to all these PAHs and PCBs and is mandatory for testing.

• People can reduce the ingestion of plasticizers by using more of natural and less processed food.
• Plastic items usage to be reduced and ones of food grade quality to be used.
• At the mass level also, there should be an awareness about us polluting our rivers and soil by throwing our household wastes. The water from these polluted rivers is the main source of carrier of the harmful chemicals.
• Waste needs to be minimized, if possible, at all levels.