Science Geek Observes Cheese That Comes in Plastic Wrapping Under Microscope- Reveals Alarming Amount of Microplastics

At this point, plastic occupies every corner of our planet and the challenge of reducing plastics becomes even more difficult with the existence of microplastics. The plastic particles that range in size between 1 nanometer to 5 millimeters are called microplastics. They are either manufactured for certain reasons or broken down from larger plastic wastes. It is not a surprise that microplastics exist typically in every object surrounding the human world, including food and clothes. On that note, science content creator Walt (@oneminimicro) took the opportunity to shed light on the matter by examining cheese slices under the microscope. 

The Australia-based creator took cheese slices wrapped in plastic, as is done by commercial packaging, that was said to have been sitting in his fridge for years. He quickly peeled out the thin layer of plastic wrap from the cheese or rather “plastic cheese” and added small chunks of it into a preparation slide. “I know why they call this plastic cheese, as in, I am pretty sure we have found microplastics in this cheese,” he explained. Displaying the shocking observation, Walt revealed that the cheese bits were covered in microplastics throughout. “The cheese does not even need to be plastic wrapped because it’s full of microplastic,” he said. 

The microscopic view showcased tiny irregular bits of microplastic spread out on the cheese chunk. Some pieces were elongated and thread-like in shape while some others appeared like small blobs of plastic. A few even displayed the distinct plastic blue even at a microscopic level which further confirms the spheres plastic has managed to penetrate. Walt speculated whether the cheese even spoiled even after being in his fridge for a long time. “This is a heavily processed item and so it’s not surprising to find microplastics in it,” Walt added. 

Simultaneously, netizens were stunned by the observation and left elaborate notes in the comments section. “We’re probably 20% plastic now,” @Wendy_OKoopa wrote while another person (@merucrypoison296) stated in their comment, “I heard babies are starting to be born with microplastics in them.” A third comment by a user (@parodyverse) lauded the creator for the effort of showing plastics in our food. “Would love to see a whole series on processed foods and how much plastics there are in them.  I still can’t believe we eat a credit card's worth of microplastics every week,” the comment added. A detailed note left by a concerned user (@sethdavis4382) pointed out that their digestive issues and diagnosis of Crohn’s disease at 41 years old could've been due to such contaminations.

Microplastics have been detected in the environment as well as human samples, according to a 2023 study published in the journal ACS Publications. Humans are exposed to microplastics through oral intake, inhalation, and skin contact among others. Consequently, the results of coming in contact with these microplastics range from DNA damage, metabolic disorder, oxidative stress, organ dysfunction, and immune responses to neurotoxicity, reproductive disorders, and developmental toxicity. The study suggested that epidemiological evidence indicates that several chronic diseases in humans may be related to microplastic exposure. 

You can follow @oneminimicro on YouTube for more videos and information on science innovations and hacks.