The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched an innovative project to tackle the growing concern of microplastic contamination in food, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.

Recognising microplastic pollution as an emerging threat that requires immediate attention, the project titled ‘Micro-and Nano-Plastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: Establishing Validated Methodologies and Understanding the Prevalence in Different Food Matrices’ was started in March this year to develop and validate analytical methods for detecting micro and nano-plastics in various food products, as well as assess their prevalence and exposure levels in India, it said.

The Health Ministry said the primary objectives of the project include developing standard protocols for micro/nano-plastic analysis, conducting intra- and inter-laboratory comparisons, and generating critical data on microplastic exposure levels among consumers.

This study is being undertaken in collaboration with leading research institutions across the country, including the CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (Lucknow), ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (Kochi), and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani), it said.

In its communiqué , the Health Ministry further said, “In a recent report, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlighted the presence of microplastics in common food items such as sugar and salt. While the report underscores the global prevalence of microplastics, it also emphasizes the need for more robust data to fully understand the implications for human health and safety, particularly in the Indian context.”

As the food safety regulator of the country, the FSSAI is committed to ensuring that Indian consumers have access to safe and healthy food, it said.

“While global studies have highlighted the presence of microplastics in various foods, it is imperative to generate reliable data specific to India. This project will help understand the extent of microplastic contamination in Indian food and guide the formulation of effective regulations and safety standards to protect public health,” the Health Ministry said.

The findings from this project will not only inform regulatory actions but also contribute to the global understanding of microplastic contamination, making Indian research an integral part of the global effort to combat this environmental challenge, it added.