Microplastics in vacuum packages of frozen and glazed icefish (<em>Neosalanx</em> spp.): A freshwater fish intended for human consumption

Abstract

It is widely accepted that human is exposed to microplastics through food consumption, however data occurrence in foodstuffs are still little and basically limited to seafood. In this study, the presence of microplastics was investigated in icefish (Neosalanx spp.) samples sourced from various mass-market retailers in Italy, supplied as frozen, glazed and vacuum-packed product. Icefish is a small freshwater fish widely imported in Europe from China as surrogate of other fish species subjected to commercial restriction, consumed whole after cooking in several culinary preparation. The samples (~10 g of icefish from each of the 40 packs tested) were digested using a solution of 10% potassium hydroxide and filtered through a 5 μm pore-size filter. Filters of the samples were observed under a stereomicroscope and the chemical composition of the items detected were analysed by FTIR spectroscopy. A total of 163 items were counted in 37 (92.5%) samples with a mean value of 0.42±0.28 items/g w.w. Fibers were the most detected morphotype and several plastic polymers, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene, were identified by FT-IR analysis. As store-bought samples, the sources of microplastics could be substantially related to contamination during food processing. However, an intravital exposure to microplastics present in the surroundings waters cannot be ruled out. More foodstuffs need to be investigated for microplastic presence. In this study, microplastic occurrence was reported in freshwater biota intended for human consumption sampled directly from supermarket contributing to the risk assessment of human exposure to microplastics via food consumption.

COIBar-RFLP Molecular Strategy Discriminates Species and Unveils Commercial Frauds in Fishery Products

“…However, since the entry into force of the Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006, concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea, the “special forms of fishing” have been banned with few exemption for “rossetto” [ 58 ]. These restrictive measures on fishing together with the globalization of the fish trade, have opened the market to the arrival of species from foreing fishery areas, of less commercial value, which filled the void left by the banned species traditionally consumed in the Mediterranean area: this was the case of Neosalanx species or icefish, small freshwater fish species, widely imported in Italy from China as frozen product [ 59 , 60 ]. The fraudulent substitution of “bianchetto” by icefish has been already reported in Italy by Armani et al [ 53 ] who used a fragment of the mitochondrial cyt b gene as molecular marker and by Guerriero et al [ 54 ] who applied a PCR-RFLP analysis of a partial fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene.…”

Application of Infrared and Near-Infrared Microspectroscopy to Microplastic Human Exposure Measurements

“…All studies on seafood used a mode of IR spectroscopy as the analytical technique. Most (50%) used micro-FT-IR, [62][63][64][65] almost 38% used ATR FT-IR, [82][83][84] and one study (12.5%) did not specify the mode of FT-IR. 85 Less than half the studies reported the spectral range analyzed.…”

“…62,63,84 Two studies adopting micro-FT-IR specified using transmittance mode. 63,65 Of the studies classifying spectra with a commercial library, 80% used an HQI > 70%, [63][64][65]84 whilst one used a commercial library but did not specify the HQI used 62 and one specified an HQI (>60%) but not specifically the use of a library. 82 Of the studies using ATR FT-IR to analyze seafood samples for microplastic, average microplastic abundances of 2.52 ± 1.1 microplastic particles mussel −1 from the Boka Kotorska Bay of the Adriatic Sea were found.…”

In Vivo Tissue Distribution of Polystyrene or Mixed Polymer Microspheres and Metabolomic Analysis after Oral Exposure in Mice

“… 28 Ingestion is believed to be the most common route of MPs exposure. 4 – 9 , 29 – 32 MP exposure in rats, 33 mice, 34 , 35 and zebrafish 36 , 37 models has been shown to lead to gut microbiota dysbiosis. Gut dysbiosis is linked to numerous inflammatory and metabolic diseases, 38 – 43 and studies in zebrafish exposed to MPs have been shown to induce intestinal injury and inflammation.…”