Browsing by Author "Sharma B."

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    ABUNDANCE OF PLASTIC: AN IGNORED TOXIN IN FOOD INDUSTRY
    (2021 International Young Scholars' Conference, 2021) Sharma B.
    Abstract Access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food is key to sustaining life and promoting good health. The presence of toxins and chemicals in food is an emerging concern. Food gets contaminated either naturally or through certain unwise activities in the food industry. Contamination by heavy metal in food occurs mainly through pollution of air, water and soil. The continuous use of plastic in food and beverage packaging has exposed the humans to numerous health hazards. We are using the plastics in one or the other form, at homes, offices, functions and at most in the delivery of the food items. All plastic, from macro to nano scale are concerned to leach and adsorb hazardous substances. Single-use plastic is one of the dangerous things used world-wide. The harmful chemicals associated with plastics can be divided into three categories: ingredients of the plastic material, byproducts of manufacturing and chemicals adsorbed from the environment. The possible toxicological responses caused by plastic can thus be a combination of all of these chemicals. Discussing the harmful effects of its use on the human health is an objective of the study. The paper concludes that various kinds of plastic are not only harmful for the environment, but directly affects the human health. The release of toxic compounds has shown to lead to health complications in non-humans as well. It is high time that the policy-makers take strict action at earliest and protect the health of the society.