The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has initiated a project aimed at addressing microplastic contamination in food and packaged drinking water, Meghalaya Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh informed the Legislative Assembly during the Budget Session on March 6.
Responding to concerns raised by MLA Adelbert Nongrum regarding the health risks posed by microplastics in bottled water, the minister stated that the project was launched on August 18, 2024. Its objective is to develop validated testing methodologies and assess the presence of micro and nanoplastics in various food matrices.
“As part of this initiative, FSSAI is working towards establishing standardized testing protocols for microplastics,” Lyngdoh said. However, she clarified that while the State Food Safety Commissionerate has been testing packaged drinking water for contaminants such as mineral oil, heavy metals, pesticides, and microbiological impurities, it has not yet been conducting tests specifically for microplastic contamination.
