Scientists issue warning over drinking bottled beer
Scientists have issued an urgent warning for those who may be enjoying bottled beers this summer.
With the last few days seeing temperatures soar to highs of 29C in some areas, some people will be looking to enjoy a few libations in the sun — be it at a back garden barbecue or a park with your mates.
However, a new study has found that you might want to rethink grabbing a bottle of suds, as French food safety agency ANSES found that drinks sold in glass bottles — be they water, beer or wine — contain more microplastics than those found in plastic bottles. Scientists have issued an urgent warning for those who may be enjoying bottled beers this summer.
While microplastics are found in pretty much everything in this day and age, the presence of them in glass bottles baffled the scientists behind the study, until it was found that the paint on the outside of the bottles are what's causing the presence of the microplastics.
'We expected the opposite result,' scientist Iseline Chaib told AFP. 'We then noticed that in the glass, the particles emerging from the samples were the same shape, color and polymer composition—so therefore the same plastic—as the paint on the outside of the caps that seal the glass bottles.'
The team evaluated the levels of microplastics in various popular drinks that are sold in France, and found an average of around 100 microplastic particles per litre in glass bottles of soft drinks, lemonade, iced tea and beers — around five to 50 times as much as microplastics that were detected in cans and plastic bottles. The study found that there were microplastics in glass bottles, with beer bottles being the worst offenders. Pic: ANSES
Both flat and sparkling water were safest, with relatively low levels of microplastics in all cases (4.5 particles per litre in glass bottles, 1.6 particles per litre in plastic). Those who are sommeliers are also (kinda) safe, with wine bottles — even glass ones with caps — also having relatively low levels.
Soft drinks have, unfortunately, around 30 particles per litre, while lemonade has around 40 particles per litre. Beers are the worst though, with 60 microplastic particles per litre.
There are no long-term health implications for the presence of microplastics in cells, but there are growing concerns about the capacity of particles that could alter cellular functions, with evidence growing that plastics could play a key role in early-onset cancer genesis. Microplastics are becoming a bigger problem, with studies trying to find the health ramifications. Pic:A study carried out last year found that cancer cells in the gut spread at an accelerated rate after being in contact with microplastics, while there have also been concerns that microplastics may be found in men's sperm, which could cause a problem with reproductive health.
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Extra.ie
20 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Scientists issue warning over drinking bottled beer
Scientists have issued an urgent warning for those who may be enjoying bottled beers this summer. With the last few days seeing temperatures soar to highs of 29C in some areas, some people will be looking to enjoy a few libations in the sun — be it at a back garden barbecue or a park with your mates. However, a new study has found that you might want to rethink grabbing a bottle of suds, as French food safety agency ANSES found that drinks sold in glass bottles — be they water, beer or wine — contain more microplastics than those found in plastic bottles. Scientists have issued an urgent warning for those who may be enjoying bottled beers this summer. While microplastics are found in pretty much everything in this day and age, the presence of them in glass bottles baffled the scientists behind the study, until it was found that the paint on the outside of the bottles are what's causing the presence of the microplastics. 'We expected the opposite result,' scientist Iseline Chaib told AFP. 'We then noticed that in the glass, the particles emerging from the samples were the same shape, color and polymer composition—so therefore the same plastic—as the paint on the outside of the caps that seal the glass bottles.' The team evaluated the levels of microplastics in various popular drinks that are sold in France, and found an average of around 100 microplastic particles per litre in glass bottles of soft drinks, lemonade, iced tea and beers — around five to 50 times as much as microplastics that were detected in cans and plastic bottles. The study found that there were microplastics in glass bottles, with beer bottles being the worst offenders. Pic: ANSES Both flat and sparkling water were safest, with relatively low levels of microplastics in all cases (4.5 particles per litre in glass bottles, 1.6 particles per litre in plastic). Those who are sommeliers are also (kinda) safe, with wine bottles — even glass ones with caps — also having relatively low levels. Soft drinks have, unfortunately, around 30 particles per litre, while lemonade has around 40 particles per litre. Beers are the worst though, with 60 microplastic particles per litre. There are no long-term health implications for the presence of microplastics in cells, but there are growing concerns about the capacity of particles that could alter cellular functions, with evidence growing that plastics could play a key role in early-onset cancer genesis. Microplastics are becoming a bigger problem, with studies trying to find the health ramifications. Pic:A study carried out last year found that cancer cells in the gut spread at an accelerated rate after being in contact with microplastics, while there have also been concerns that microplastics may be found in men's sperm, which could cause a problem with reproductive health.
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