A Taiwanese study revealed that heating common food packaging could release hundreds of millions of potentially carcinogenic microplastic particles, raising troubling questions about food safety standards.
National Taiwan University professor of occupational medicine Cheng Tsun-jen (鄭尊仁) on Thursday said that he launched the research as the head of a Taiwanese team to confirm a recent study in Canada suggesting that heat could trigger the release of minute plastic particles.
The observation is concerning, as plasticine products are widely found in various food containers and lining materials, he said.
Photo: Lo Chi, Taipei Times
The team was able to confirm that commonly utilized plastic vessels emit nanoscopic plastic particles after being heated, and that tube-feeding these substances to lab mice causes cancer, Cheng said.
Examination of the mice showed that the microplastics can spread to organs throughout the body, resulting in changes in gut microbiota, oxidative stress and inflammation, he said.
Microplastics in the liver were linked to changes to enzymatic changes, an increase in sugar and triglyceride levels, and liver diseases including fibrosis and tumors, Cheng said.
Researchers also observed changes in the synapses of the central nervous systems of older mice that had been fed microplastics, he said.
The findings suggest that plastic particles could have a negative health impact on humans, but more evidence is needed to confirm the hypothesis, Cheng said.
The team discovered traces of microplastics in the feces of all 50 young Taiwanese volunteers in the study, showing that ingestion of the substance is widespread, he said.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences director Chen Pau-chung (陳保中) said the study has increased the uncertainty in an already murky area for public health.
There is no reliable definition for single-use and reusable plastics, or guidance on their safe utilization, he said, adding that the public is urged to minimize exposure to such products as much as possible.
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
RSS