This is a plastic world.

According to the United Nations, about 460 million tons of material are made each year, and some scientists are increasingly worried that the microplastics that enter our bodies may harm our health.

A way they enter? food. And, not only through the food itself (although they are there), it can also be used in various tools and other items to prepare and store what we eat every day.

Home chefs chop the chopped plastic, heat the plastic container, fry it with plastic cookware, ingredients wrapped in plastic and the wrapping ingredients of the plastic detergent pods in the dishwasher - all of which are the medium of micro plastic exposure.

"One of the most important sources of microplastics is through the food we eat," said Tracey Woodruff, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, who studied the impact of microplastics on human health. “It is likely that there are a lot of food contact materials.”

Here’s what you know about microplastics and food preparation – what to do if you want to remove the material from the kitchen.

Will microplastics harm humans? Science is developing

We still don't know much about how microplastics affect humans.

Small particles (from the width of the pencil eraser to the thin width) are found in many parts of the human body, including the heart, lungs and many places in the placenta.

While some studies have shown that animals have poor health effects due to the presence of microplastics, we have less knowledge of how debris affect us. "The overall scientific evidence does not prove that the levels of microplastics or nanoplastics found in food pose risks to human health," the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. But some early studies have found possible links between health issues and the accumulation of these particles.

Research showing the negative effects of microplastic exposure in animals may provide clues about what is happening to people, Oregon State University ecotoxicologist Susanne Brander told NPR in December.

"If this was happening in experiments with fish and rodents, which are being peer-reviewed and published, maybe it could have happened in us," Brand said. "We haven't proved that yet."

Because studies show that humans are continuing to be exposed to microplastics, Woodruff of the UCLA Group (UCSF) advises people to try to limit their contact with the material.

“If we wait to try to present good things to science, it means we are also constantly exposed, which can lead to more adverse health effects, some of which we haven’t even identified yet,” she said.

Want to abandon plastic kitchen tools? This is what you can do

If you decide you want to reduce the use of plastic in your kitchen, there are a lot you can do. But, don't try to throw away all plastic items immediately, Anne-Marie Bonneau Zero Waste Chef.

"I don't recommend you just take everything from you and sell it. Maybe when it breaks, replace it," Bonneau said. "Don't try it once."

Bonneau decided to "break up" with plastics in 2011 because of concerns about pollution, but also recognize the potential health benefits of avoiding synthesis in the kitchen.

Instead of using plastic Cutting boardshe uses wooden. A study called "Plastic Cutting Board" "a potentially important source of microplastics in human food" found that the microplastics on polyethylene chopping boards may shed 7.4 to 50.7 grams per year each year.

Bonneau stores food in Glass or metal containers and save all her jars to reuse later. Heating plastic containers can cause the release of millions of microplastics and billions of nanoplastic particles, a study found. (Micro-plastics have appeared in takeaway food containers, plastic water bottles, paper cups, etc.)

The plastic package was not found in Bonneau's kitchen, forcing her to become resourceful. “A lot of bread recipes tell you how to make the dough and prove that it says cover the bowl with plastic wrap,” she said. “Well, you can put the plate on the top of the bowl. Or the lid of the pot.”

She has Cotton towel and Reusable fabric bags She brings it to farmers' markets and grocery stores. Bonneau also uses Cellulose Kitchen Sponge Instead of the common plastic alternatives.

Home chefs can also use it Stainless steel or cast iron pots and pots Instead of non-stick cookware, usually made from PFA, it is a set of chemicals related to human health issues.

Switch in restaurant

Chef Edward Lee abandoned plastic at his nonprofit restaurant, Shia, in Washington, D.C., to test more sustainable business practices other restaurants can adopt. This means using wooden cutting boards, swapping plastic cooked containers for metal and glass substitutes, and replacing plastic wraps with alternatives like parchment, beeswax paper, muslin and cheese sticks. The restaurant uses paper takeaway containers and does not provide diners with tableware, because Lee says most of them take food home.

But not everything is that easy to replace, such as the iconic plastic restaurant squeeze bottle that Shiites sworn in. Instead, the staff store the seasoning in a separate container and mix vinegar as needed. "One of the byproducts of getting rid of the squeeze bottles is that all our vinegar is fresh because we have to get them ordered," Lee said.

There are some trade-offs for cutting plastic, Lee said. Some non-plastic alternatives are more expensive and kitchen workers must be more careful when dealing with items like glass (which can easily break if dropped).

But he said eliminating Shia plastic has led to a positive cultural shift among staff, many of whom have also reduced their use of plastic at home.

"Being surrounded by a lot of disposable items... your attitude becomes more inclined," Lee said. "When we are surrounded permanently, we are more focused - we need to be careful."

He added: “Once you do this, you realize there is no turning back.”