Microplastic in Food and Water: Current Knowledge and Awareness of Consumers
In recent years, the widespread of microplastics in the food chain and environment became a topic of much research. This article focused on the knowledge and awareness of people with higher education levels—mostly young ones. The aim of this study is to analyze to what extent consumers know about an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/22/4857 |
| _version_ | 1797464283309670400 |
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| author | Klaudia Oleksiuk Karolina Krupa-Kotara Agata Wypych-Ślusarska Joanna Głogowska-Ligus Anna Spychała Jerzy Słowiński |
| author_facet | Klaudia Oleksiuk Karolina Krupa-Kotara Agata Wypych-Ślusarska Joanna Głogowska-Ligus Anna Spychała Jerzy Słowiński |
| author_sort | Klaudia Oleksiuk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, the widespread of microplastics in the food chain and environment became a topic of much research. This article focused on the knowledge and awareness of people with higher education levels—mostly young ones. The aim of this study is to analyze to what extent consumers know about and are aware of the source of microplastics, the level of exposure, and potential health hazards connected to the contamination of food and water with microplastics. The test group, consisting of 410 people, is mostly able to correctly characterize what microplastics mean and knows its sources. A majority of the group is aware of potential presence of microplastics in water; however, the knowledge about contamination of other elements of the environment seems to be gradually lowering. The majority of the people taking part in the research know that microplastic might be present in foods, and they are aware that after entering the human body, it might accumulate in internal organs. Moreover, when asked about potential health hazards, the group chose mostly tumors and gastrointestinal disorders, while disorders of the reproductive system were chosen less frequently. Consumers’ knowledge regarding the sources and health hazards of microplastics seems to be more common among women, in groups living in cities and among people who studied physics-related subjects and medicine. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:05:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4f841a4430934432910777937394f2bc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:05:09Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-4f841a4430934432910777937394f2bc2023-11-24T09:32:18ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-11-011422485710.3390/nu14224857Microplastic in Food and Water: Current Knowledge and Awareness of ConsumersKlaudia Oleksiuk0Karolina Krupa-Kotara1Agata Wypych-Ślusarska2Joanna Głogowska-Ligus3Anna Spychała4Jerzy Słowiński5Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-055 Katowice, PolandDepartment of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-055 Katowice, PolandDepartment of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-055 Katowice, PolandDepartment of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-055 Katowice, PolandDepartment of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-055 Katowice, PolandDepartment of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-055 Katowice, PolandIn recent years, the widespread of microplastics in the food chain and environment became a topic of much research. This article focused on the knowledge and awareness of people with higher education levels—mostly young ones. The aim of this study is to analyze to what extent consumers know about and are aware of the source of microplastics, the level of exposure, and potential health hazards connected to the contamination of food and water with microplastics. The test group, consisting of 410 people, is mostly able to correctly characterize what microplastics mean and knows its sources. A majority of the group is aware of potential presence of microplastics in water; however, the knowledge about contamination of other elements of the environment seems to be gradually lowering. The majority of the people taking part in the research know that microplastic might be present in foods, and they are aware that after entering the human body, it might accumulate in internal organs. Moreover, when asked about potential health hazards, the group chose mostly tumors and gastrointestinal disorders, while disorders of the reproductive system were chosen less frequently. Consumers’ knowledge regarding the sources and health hazards of microplastics seems to be more common among women, in groups living in cities and among people who studied physics-related subjects and medicine.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/22/4857microplasticfoodwaterknowledgeconsumers |
| spellingShingle | Klaudia Oleksiuk Karolina Krupa-Kotara Agata Wypych-Ślusarska Joanna Głogowska-Ligus Anna Spychała Jerzy Słowiński Microplastic in Food and Water: Current Knowledge and Awareness of Consumers Nutrients microplastic food water knowledge consumers |
| title | Microplastic in Food and Water: Current Knowledge and Awareness of Consumers |
| title_full | Microplastic in Food and Water: Current Knowledge and Awareness of Consumers |
| title_fullStr | Microplastic in Food and Water: Current Knowledge and Awareness of Consumers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microplastic in Food and Water: Current Knowledge and Awareness of Consumers |
| title_short | Microplastic in Food and Water: Current Knowledge and Awareness of Consumers |
| title_sort | microplastic in food and water current knowledge and awareness of consumers |
| topic | microplastic food water knowledge consumers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/22/4857 |
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