https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2025.13523
Study of fibrous microplastic and natural microfiber levels in branded milk samples from Italy
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Published: 26 March 2025
As far as we know, there is no evidence regarding the microfiber (MF) occurrence and abundance in branded milk samples from Italy. Therefore, a total of 20 milk samples from 5 brands were collected and analyzed using a digestion step with hydrogen peroxide, followed by filtration. Natural and synthetic MFs were classified according to the evaluation of surface morphology (i.e., shape and texture), followed by chemical identification using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Microspectroscopy. Results revealed the occurrence of MFs in 67.5% of the analyzed samples and showed variability ranging between 1 and 27 particles/100 mL with an overall average of 3.85 MFs/100 mL. The FTIR analyses confirmed the presence of polyethylene, polyester, acrylic, and cellulosic MFs. According to the literature, the contamination of milk may occur at various stages along the production chain. The blood-milk barrier would prevent MFs from being transferred across the mammary gland into the milk. The highest MF levels found in ultra-high temperature skimmed milk of some brands may indicate that the more complex the processing of milk, the more MFs it contains. However, due to the different MF types and polymers, an unambiguous conclusion on MF sources cannot be made. MFs could be shed from the filters used in the milk processing factories and the protective clothing for workers. Therefore, the MF contamination should be properly investigated along the entire supply chain, identifying the sources of contamination and implementing control strategies and mitigation measures.
Downloads
Avio CG, Pittura L, d’Errico G, Abel S, Amorello S, Marino G. Regoli F, 2020. Distribution and characterization of microplastic particles and textile microfibers in Adriatic food webs: General insights for biomonitoring strategies. Environ Pollut 258:113766. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113766
Bai CL, Liu LY, Hu YB, Zeng EY, Guo Y, 2022. Microplastics: a review of analytical methods, occurrence and characteristics in food, and potential toxicities to biota. Sci Total Environ 806:150263. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150263
Basaran B, Özçifçi Z, Akcay HT, Aytan Ü, 2023. Microplastics in branded milk: Dietary exposure and risk assessment. J Food Compos Anal 123:105611. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2023.105611
Chakraborty TK, Hasan MJ, Netema BN, Rayhan MA, Asif SMH, Biswas A, Hasibuzzaman M, 2024. Microplastics in the commercially available branded milk in Bangladesh: An emerging threat for human health. J Hazard Mater 477:135374. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135374
Da Costa Filho PA, Andrey D, Eriksen B, Peixoto RP, Carreres BM, Ambühl ME, Poitevin, E, 2021. Detection and characterization of small-sized microplastics (≥ 5 µm) in milk products. Sci Rep 11:24046. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-03458-7
De Falco F, Cocca M, Avella M, Thompson RC, 2020. Microfiber release to water, via laundering, and to air, via everyday use: a comparison between polyester clothing with differing textile parameters. Environl Sci Technol 54:3288-96. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b06892
Diaz-Basantes MF, Conesa JA, Fullana, A, 2020. Microplastics in honey, beer, milk and refreshments in Ecuador as emerging contaminants. Sustainability 12:5514. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145514
Dong X, Liu X, Hou Q, Wang Z, 2023. From natural environment to animal tissues: a review of microplastics (nanoplastics) translocation and hazards studies. Sci Total Environ 855:158686. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158686
Kaseke T, Lujic T, Cirkovic Velickovic T, 2023. Nano-and microplastics migration from plastic food packaging into dairy products: impact on nutrient digestion, absorption, and metabolism. Foods 12:3043. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12163043
Kiruba R, Preethi M, Aganasteen R, Rithick RM, Hannah TC, Monica P, Naseera BI, 2022. Identification of microplastics as emerging contaminant in branded milk of Tamil Nadu State, India. Asian J Biol Life Sci 11:181. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5530/ajbls.2022.11.25
Kutralam-Muniasamy G, Pérez-Guevara F, Elizalde-Martínez I, Shruti VC, 2020. Branded milks–are they immune from microplastics contamination? Sci Total Environ 714:136823. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136823
Kwak JI, Liu H, Wang D, Lee YH. Lee JS, An YJ, 2022. Critical review of environmental impacts of microfibers in different environmental matrices. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 251:109196. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2021.109196
Lin Q, Zhao S, Pang L, Sun C, Chen L, Li F, 2022. Potential risk of microplastics in processed foods: preliminary risk assessment concerning polymer types, abundance, and human exposure of microplastics. Ecotox Environ Saf 247:114260. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114260
Liu J, Zhu B, An L, Ding J, Xu Y, 2023. Atmospheric microfibers dominated by natural and regenerated cellulosic fibers: explanations from the textile engineering perspective. Environ Pollut 317:120771. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120771
Marangoni F, Pellegrino L, Verduci E, Ghiselli A, Bernabei R, Calvani R, Poli A, 2019. Cow’s milk consumption and health: a health professional’s guide. J Am Coll Nutr 38:197-208. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2018.1491016
Rbaibi Zipak S, Muratoglu K, Buyukunal SK, 2024. Microplastics in raw milk samples from the Marmara region in Turkey. J Verbrauch Lebensm 19:175-82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00003-023-01477-2
Rodríguez-Romeu O, Constenla M, Carrassón M, Campoy-Quiles M, Soler-Membrives A, 2020. Are anthropogenic fibres a real problem for red mullets (Mullus barbatus) from the NW Mediterranean? Sci Total Environ 733:139336. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139336
Rubio-Armendáriz C, Alejandro-Vega S, Paz-Montelongo S, Gutiérrez-Fernández ÁJ, Carrascosa-Iruzubieta CJ, Hardisson-de la Torre A, 2022. Microplastics as emerging food contaminants: a challenge for food safety. Int J Environ Res Public Health 19:1174. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031174
Santonicola S, Mercogliano R, Anastasio A, Raimo G, Gasperi M, Colavita G, 2020. Study on the occurrence of microplastics from marine pollution to human food chain (in SiRiMaP PON_Project). Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on microplastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. Springer International Publishing, Berlin, German, pp 287-93. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45909-3_46
Santonicola S, Volgare M, Cocca M, Dorigato G, Giaccone V, Colavita G, 2023. Impact of fibrous microplastic pollution on commercial seafood and consumer health: a review. Animals 13:1736. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111736
Santonicola S, Volgare M, Rossi F, Castaldo R, Cocca M, Colavita G, 2024. Detection of fibrous microplastics and natural microfibers in fish species (Engraulis encrasicolus, Mullus barbatus and Merluccius merluccius) for human consumption from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Chemosphere 363:142778. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142778
Stanton T, Johnson M, Nathanail P, MacNaughtan W, Gomes RL, 2019. Freshwater and airborne textile fibre populations are dominated by ‘natural’, not microplastic, fibres. Sci Total Environ 666:377-89. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.278
Volgare M, Santonicola S, Cocca M, Avolio R, Castaldo R, Errico ME, Colavita G, 2022. A versatile approach to evaluate the occurrence of microfibers in mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis. Sci Rep 12:21827. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25631-2
Yang Z, Wang M, Feng Z, Wang Z, Lv M, Chang J, Wang, C, 2023. Human microplastics exposure and potential health risks to target organs by different routes: a review. Curr Pollut Rep 9:468-85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40726-023-00273-8
Zhang Q, Liu L, Jiang Y, Zhang Y, Fan Y, Rao W, Qian X, 2023. Microplastics in infant milk powder. Environ Pollut 323:121225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121225
Zhu X, Nguyen B, You JB, Karakolis E, Sinton D, Rochman C, 2019. Identification of microfibers in the environment using multiple lines of evidence. Environ Sci Technol 53:11877-87. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b05262
How to Cite
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.