KOLKATA: A study has detected microplastic particles in both packaged and locally sourced raw cow milk samples collected from Kolkata and surrounding areas, raising questions about potential sources of plastic contamination across the dairy supply chain.
The study was jointly led by Debashis Chatterjee of the University of Kalyani and Santanu Majumder of Bournemouth University, UK, and was published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.
Microplastics Detected in All Nine Samples
Researchers analysed nine cow milk samples collected from and around Kolkata. The samples included six commercial pouch-milk products from four national and two regional brands, along with raw cow milk obtained from local vendors.
Laboratory analysis identified a total of 66 microplastic particles, with contamination levels ranging from 3 to 30 particles per litre across the samples.
Most of the particles were identified as fibres or fragments, while polyethylene and polypropylene were reported as the predominant polymer types.
Packaging Identified as One Possible Source
The researchers noted that polyethylene and polypropylene are widely used in food packaging, containers and other plastic materials and suggested that packaging could be one route through which microplastics enter milk.
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However, the detection of microplastics in raw milk samples indicates that contamination may also occur before packaging, potentially during farm-level handling, transportation or processing.
The study therefore points to multiple possible contamination pathways rather than attributing the findings solely to packaged-milk containers.
Researchers Call for Further Food-Safety Research
Debashis Chatterjee said the detection of microplastics in both packaged and raw cow milk provides evidence that warrants further investigation into the issue and its implications for food safety.
He called for greater attention from consumers, dairy manufacturers and policymakers, particularly because milk is widely consumed by children, older adults and other population groups.
Health Implications Remain an Area of Research
Microplastics have been detected in a range of food and environmental samples, including water, seafood and salt. Researchers are increasingly studying how exposure to these particles may affect human health.
Potential effects discussed in the broader scientific literature include inflammation, endocrine-related effects and gastrointestinal or other biological responses. However, the extent to which microplastics in food contribute to specific long-term health outcomes in humans remains an active area of research.
Therefore, the detection of microplastics in the milk samples does not by itself establish that consumption of the tested milk causes a particular disease or health condition.
Study Highlights Need for Larger Investigations
The Kolkata study provides evidence from a small sample of nine milk samples, making larger and geographically diverse investigations important for determining how widespread microplastic contamination may be across India’s dairy supply chain.
Future research could examine contamination at different stages—from farm handling and milk collection to transportation, processing, packaging and retail storage—while also assessing particle size, polymer composition and potential exposure levels.
The findings add microplastic contamination to the growing list of emerging food-safety questions facing the dairy sector and highlight the need for standardised monitoring methods, source identification and further assessment of potential human-health implications.
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