Microplastics in breast milk still lower than in bottles: Health Dept
Nursing mothers advised to feed newborn infants with milk directly from the breast for best health benefits
Levels of microplastics in breast milk are still lower than those found in bottled infant milks, the Department of Health (DoH) said on Wednesday.
The department was responding to public concern sparked by a recent study that found microplastics in breast milk during laboratory tests. It said breast milk is still the best source of nutrition for infants.
Microplastics are fragments of plastic less than 5mm in length that enter natural ecosystems from various sources, including cosmetics, clothing, construction, renovation, food packaging, and industrial processes. Potentially toxic, they are pervasive in everyday life and have contaminated almost all of the Earth’s surface, from the deepest oceans to the slopes of Mt Everest.
“There is concern that microplastics may affect the development of the immune and endocrine systems in infants,” said Dr Amphon Benchapolpitak, DoH director-general.
“However, there is currently no definitive information on the long-term effects of microplastics or the amount that would be harmful when it enters the body.”
Amphon said microplastics can enter the body through ingestion or contact, as they are present in food, drinking water, cosmetics, and plastic products.
Mothers living in industrial areas or agricultural and livestock-dense regions may have higher exposure to microplastics, she added. Microplastics can enter the bloodstream and be passed on to infants through breastfeeding. But they are also expelled from the body through urine and sweat, she added.
Amphon said that further studies are needed to explore how microplastics enter breast milk.
To minimise the amount of microplastics entering their bodies, the department advised nursing women to wash their hands and underwear regularly, stay in well-ventilated rooms, avoid using spray-based cosmetics and harmful chemicals, avoid eating contaminated seafood, and watch out for blocked milk ducts and breast infections.
It also recommended feeding newborn infants with milk directly from the breast for the first six months, as breast milk is high in nutrients and helps prevent humans from developing a range of non-communicable diseases.
