Plastic pollution in food packaging systems: impact on human health, socioeconomic considerations and regulatory framework

作者：Hana Najahi, Mohamed Bannı, Mantoura Nakad, Rami Abboud, Jean Claude Assaf, Luigi Operato, Malika Belhassen, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos Gomes, Wael Hamd · 发表于：Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.hazadv.2025.100667 · 被引用次数：39 · 研究领域：Microplastics and Plastic Pollution、Recycling and Waste Management Techniques、Sustainable Supply Chain Management

• Food packaging plastics migrate into food, exposing consumers to contaminants • Microplastics trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and cause organ damage • Microplastics penetrate biological barriers and disrupt stem cell function • Plastic pollution poses risks to health, ecosystems, and socioeconomic stability • Sustainable practices and policies are urgently needed to reduce these health risks Global plastic production surpasses 400 million metric tons annually. With only 9% being recycled, 50% directly landfilled, and an additional 20% mismanaged, plastic waste represents a major challenge facing our planet today. The repercussions of plastic pollution are extensive, affecting the future of sustainability globally, by not only the environment and human health but also socioeconomic and sociocultural factors. This review examines the effects of macro and microplastics on various human organs and systems, including the liver, brain, stem cells, respiratory, reproductive, immune, and neurological systems. It also investigates the different routes of microplastic uptake, such as digestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. These routes highlight how microplastics with size ranges less than 3µm can infiltrate the body, causing oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular dysfunction as well as differentiation shift of stem cells, which may lead to chronic health conditions. Moreover, this study highlights the urgent need for implementing sustainable practices, policies, and...