Scientists Believed They Had Discovered a Safe and Sustainable Alternative to Petroleum-Based Plastics. They Need to Keep Searching

A few years ago, bags made from potato starch started appearing in stores. At that time, the world was beginning to recognize the significant problems posed by plastic bags and was preparing for a more sustainable future.

Potato starch bags were quite remarkable. They seemed absurd and extravagant, leaving many people puzzled. Starch-based bioplastics appeared to be a much more sustainable and renewable alternative. Over time, scientists have discovered that starch bags have their own issues.

Starch-based bioplastics. The true breakthrough for starch-based products occurred when they began to be used in food packaging, disposable utensils, lidding films, and even single-use medical products.

Associated problems. A recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reveals that animals consuming particles of plastics made from plant starch can develop health problems, including liver damage and imbalances in the gut microbiome.

“Biodegradable starch-based plastics may not be as safe and health-promoting as originally assumed,” researchers say.

Eating plastic. The team compared three groups of five mice. One group was fed normal food, while the other two groups consumed food containing particles derived from the “biodegradation” of starch-based microplastics.

The two experimental groups were given different doses of these particles (low and high), scaled to reflect the expected daily intake for humans. Researchers monitored the mice and observed several concerning outcomes.

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The findings. Mice that consumed high doses of bioplastics exhibited organ damage, including injury to the liver and ovaries. They also presented issues with glucose metabolism and dysregulated genetic pathways.

“Prolonged low-dose exposure to starch-based microplastics can lead to a broad spectrum of health impacts, particularly perturbing circadian rhythms and disrupting glucose and lipid metabolism,” author Yongfeng Den said in a press release.

Should you be concerned? The answer is both yes and no. While the research findings raise alarming issues, they’re not overly distressing. If confirmed, these results appear similar to those observed with conventional plastics.

Additionally, it’s important to note that this study is small and the research is still in its early stages. In other words, scientists don’t fully understand the implications of these findings yet. More research, work, and regulation are needed.

In the end, the most intriguing aspect of this study isn’t just its preliminary results but the underlying message. Society shouldn’t take anything for granted, and be cautious when developing new materials.

Image | Volodymyr Hryshchenko

Related | Scientists Discover How Microplastics Affect Our Bodies Through the Most Unexpected Thing: Tap Water