On August 18, 2024, in New Delhi, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing the growing concern of microplastic contamination in food. The project, titled “Micro-and Nano-Plastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: Establishing Validated Methodologies and Understanding the Prevalence in Different Food Matrices,” first began in March 2024. Its primary goal is to develop and validate methods for detecting micro- and nano-plastics in various food items, while also assessing their prevalence and levels of exposure across India.
The project’s key objectives include creating standardized protocols for microplastic analysis, conducting lab comparisons, and generating essential data on consumer exposure levels. FSSAI is collaborating with several top research institutions such as the CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (Lucknow), ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (Kochi), and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani) to carry out this initiative.
A recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlighted the presence of microplastics in everyday food items like sugar and salt. Although these findings point to a global issue, they emphasize the need for more localized data, especially in India, to fully understand the health implications of microplastics.
As India’s primary food safety regulator, FSSAI is dedicated to ensuring that consumers have access to safe and healthy food. With global research already identifying microplastics in a wide range of food products, this project is essential in generating reliable India-specific data. The insights gained will aid in developing effective regulations and safety measures to protect public health.
The outcomes from this project will not only guide national regulatory efforts but will also contribute significantly to global research on microplastic contamination, positioning India as a key player in the fight against this environmental threat.
