{"id":847573,"date":"2025-05-11T21:11:52","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T02:11:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/11\/safe-plant-based-plastics-linked-to-organ-damage\/"},"modified":"2025-05-11T21:11:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T02:11:52","slug":"safe-plant-based-plastics-linked-to-organ-damage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/11\/safe-plant-based-plastics-linked-to-organ-damage\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cSafe\u201d Plant-Based Plastics Linked to Organ Damage"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Microplastic<\/a>
Starch-based biodegradable plastics, once considered safer, may cause liver damage, metabolic issues, and gut microbiome imbalances when ingested, as shown in animal studies. Researchers found that mice exposed to these microplastics had disrupted organ function and altered biological rhythms.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Starch-based biodegradable plastics may cause organ damage and metabolic issues, raising concerns about their safety despite being considered eco-friendly.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Plastic products gradually break down through wear and tear, releasing tiny, often microscopic, plastic particles that may pose health risks if inhaled or ingested. To address this, researchers have developed biodegradable plastics made from plant starch rather than petroleum.<\/p>\n

However, a preliminary study published in ACS\u2019 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry<\/em> found that animals exposed to particles from these plant-based plastics experienced health issues, including liver damage and disruptions to their gut microbiome.<\/p>\n

\u201cBiodegradable starch-based plastics may not be as safe and health-promoting as originally assumed,\u201d says Yongfeng Deng, the corresponding author of the study.<\/p>\n

Microplastics in the Body: A Growing Concern<\/h4>\n

Microplastics (plastic pieces less than 5 millimeters wide) are entering human bodies through contaminated water supplies, foods and drinks \u2014 and even IV infusions<\/a>. Scientists have linked plastic particles in the bloodstream and tissues to various health risks. For example, a study found that people with inflammatory bowel disease have more microplastics in their feces<\/a>. Biodegradable plastics have been presented as a safer, more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics.<\/p>\n

One of the most common types comes from starch, a carbohydrate found in potatoes, rice, and wheat. However, there is a lack of information on how starch-based biodegradable plastics affect the body. A team of researchers led by Deng tackled this issue by exploring these effects in animal trials.<\/p>\n

The researchers compared three groups of five mice: one group consuming normal chow and two groups consuming food infused with starch-based microplastics. The doses (low and high) were calculated and scaled from what an average human is expected to consume daily. They fed the mice for 3 months and then assessed the animals\u2019 organ tissues, metabolic functions, and gut microbiota diversity.<\/p>\n

Health Impacts Observed in Mice<\/h4>\n

Mice exposed to the starch-based plastic particles had:<\/p>\n