AQUAFEED ▶▶▶ Microplastics in fishmeal


Microplastics are ingested by marine biota including fish. This could lead to food safety concerns: they are potentially dangerous for consumers of fish. A study assessed the concentrations of microplastics in fishmeal and method for extracting them.


BY MATTHEW WEDZERAI, FREELANCE JOURNALIST R


ecent studies show a shift in marine debris composi- tion to predominantly plastic; about 60 – 80% of the debris consists of plastic. Plastic debris ≤ 5000 µm is generally termed microplastic. There are multiple


sources of microplastics and these can all be traced back to human activities on land or at sea. For a better understanding of the contaminant, researchers at the University of South- ampton carried out a study to investigate microplastics in fishmeal. They also suggested a suitable method for extrac- tion of microplastics from fishmeal and proposed a better


approach for controlling microplastic contamination during the extraction process.


The study The study had three main aims: • To establish a suitable method for extracting small mi- croplastics from fishmeal – most studies focus on mi- croplastics ≥149 µm. A wider size range gives better estimates of microplastic contamination in fishmeal.


• To test such a method on commercial fishmeal to quantify the microplastics. The results will improve our understanding of the potential for microplastics to enter the food chain via fishmeal and inform future assessments of associated risks to health and food security.


• To assess microplastics in fish in order to establish the potential influence of this substance on fishmeal.


Extraction method for microplastics in fishmeal The use of different extraction techniques is often a hin-


The researchers successfully used the NaCl


flotation meth- od to extract microplastics from fishmeal.


This method can extract small microplastics.


28 ▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 29, No. 2, 2021


PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK


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