The impact of microplastics on the gut microbiome and health: a food safety perspective

Food safety and quality series 21

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Corporate Author:

Food and Agriculture Organization

Publisher:

FAO

With a food safety focus, a scientific literature review was conducted to characterise the current understanding about the effects of microplastics on the gut microbiome and potential health implications. The main aspects analysed are (1) the effects of microplastics on the composition, diversity and function of gut microbiome using in vivo or in vitro models; (2) health implications resulting from the microplastic – microbiome interactions and underlying mechanisms; (3) the establishment of causality; and (4) influence of the gut microbiome on microplastic bio-degradation. The research was also scoped to identify current gaps, limitations and needs for the eventual consideration of microbiome-related data in chemical risk assessment