Explore the invisible threats in our food with Vonnie Estes and Wendalyn Jones, CEO of the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences. Delve into the world of microplastics, PFAS, and heavy metals, their presence in produce, and implications for health and agriculture. Wendlyn separates science from hype, discusses regulatory perspectives, and emphasizes transparency and collaboration in tackling these challenges. Gain insights on the future of food safety and sustainability, highlighting the roles of innovation and industry in navigating these complex issues.

Key Takeaways

• Microplastics and Risk: Present scientific evidence suggests a need for further research to confirm the potential health risks of microplastics in food, despite improvements in detection technologies.
• PFAS in Focus: Known as forever chemicals for their resistance to degradation, PFAS face strong regulatory scrutiny due to their extensive industrial use and potential contamination of soil and water systems.
• Heavy Metals Compliance: The Closer to Zero initiative is an essential FDA strategy aimed at reducing the levels of heavy metals in the food system, promoting collaboration across various agencies.
• Industry Challenges and Opportunities: Transparency and consumer education are crucial for producers aiming to address contaminants in the food industry. Firms must also engage in collaborative efforts for a wider industry impact.
• Research and Technological Solutions: New initiatives by IAFNS and USDA are targeting the understanding of soil contamination impacts on crops, potentially guiding future agricultural practices.

Guest Resources

• Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS): Iafns.org
• FDA Closer to Zero Initiative: Information available at FDA.gov
• University of Nebraska Research on Microplastics: Explore university publications for more insights.

For full context and a more in-depth understanding of these crucial topics, be sure to listen to the entire episode of “Fresh Takes on Tech.” Stay tuned for more episodes that delve into the scientific and policy landscapes reshaping the future of our food system.

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0:00:24 Intro Speaker: Let’s get into it.

0:00:54 Vonnie Estes: With us is Wendalyn Jones, CEO of the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences. Wendalyn leads cutting edge research and community efforts focused on emerging science in food safety and health. Today, she’s here to help us separate the science from the headlines and get real about what this means for food and fresh produce. Welcome, Wendland, and so glad to have you.

0:01:22 Vonnie Estes: Yeah. So let’s start at the macro level with microplastics. What are micro and nanoplastics and how are they showing up in the food and beverage world, especially in produce?

0:02:40 Wendlyn Jones: That’s okay. Let’s put some context in it. And we can quickly note that a strand of hair is, is about 70 microns or 70 micrometers. So we’re talking about something with nanoplastics that is really, really small, like, you’re not gonna necessarily be able to even see it, whereas microplastics are really teeny, tiny things that you might be able to see with your eyes.

0:03:26 Wendlyn Jones: So I’m going to bottom line it, which is, at the end of the day, we need some more science to be able to fully answer that question. Okay. There is lots of reports out there.

0:03:59 Wendlyn Jones: So this is perhaps a case, at least for some of them, where, nope, the plastics have always, quote, been there. Right. But we’re now all of a sudden being able to measure them. So an analogy in this space is thinking about NASA and looking at what different telescopes can. Can detect. So, you know, several years ago, more than I want to admit, there was a whole hoopla about, you know, the Hubble telescope, right? Well, now you got the new next wave with the Webb Space Telescope and the Webb systems now detecting galaxies that the Hubble never could. So this is something where you were really detecting things that perhaps have always been there.

0:05:05 Wendlyn Jones: Now, if you allow me, I can kind of expand into kind of the second part of it, which is, what’s the science versus what, what is the hype?

0:05:45 Wendlyn Jones: I know how much I have to have to have that response. But then how much am I actually exposed to, which is the exposure assessment? And then the final part comes into that overall risk characterization step. So where we are with it, I would say, is generally speaking, we know that these particles are there.

0:06:36 Wendlyn Jones: Because there’s just whipshaws of report. Just because something’s detected, it doesn’t mean that there’s necessarily harm with it.

0:07:06 Wendlyn Jones: Are we trying to figure out if it’s harmful? Sure. So, I mean, there is work that is definitively ongoing around micro and nanoplastics.

0:07:30 Wendlyn Jones: Micro versus nano, made up of different specific elements, if you would, or compounds in that plastic and looked at, how did it react? Now, this work was done a little bit more in cell cultures as opposed to something, quote, being done in a human or in a model animal testing. But they did a lot of cell culture stuff, and what they found was this stuff isn’t getting through.

0:08:15 Wendlyn Jones: So that’s where there is more science that is still needed. But I don’t want to get you off track here, Ronnie, because this is obviously an area that I get pretty excited about.

0:08:40 Wendlyn Jones: Yeah. So short answer is everything you just said there, right? It can be found. Plastic pollution can be found throughout the environment, from land to the streams, inland waterways, you know, from coasts and the oceans. And plastics generally don’t biodegrade.

0:09:31 Wendlyn Jones: Okay. So you almost have to start thinking about it almost from, from two different types, components. One is what’s going into the crops.

0:09:52 Wendlyn Jones: Okay. Yeah, right. It’s just, just sitting in, in your house. In your house with that.

0:10:17 Wendlyn Jones: So, so, so the short answer there is there, there’s not evidence that shows that. Okay. In fact, work’s been done by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as well as Washington State University that show that while, you know, microplastics could accumulate perhaps on the root tip.

0:10:59 Wendlyn Jones: Now that having been said, as we think about plastics and the use of plastics in the farm to fork type scenario, plastics get used. Plastic mulch, for example, gets used. There’s lots of reasons and positive reasons why that plastic tarp, if you would, is put down and that, that is.

0:11:28 Wendlyn Jones: It’s to help with growth. It’s got all those things. So it’s going to have an impact on, on perhaps the soil Right. In that immediate area. But, but it’s not being, it’s not being pulled up.

0:11:46 Vonnie Estes: I mean, just thinking about theology, I can’t imagine how that could, could happen.

0:12:04 Wendlyn Jones: It’s probably the key takeaway on that.

0:12:28 Wendlyn Jones: So that has been studied and I’m going to do shout outs in particular to research that’s been funded by both FDA and USDA that clearly show it’s not coming from food packaging, full stop.

0:12:48 Wendlyn Jones: It’s something that is pervasive.

0:13:08 Wendlyn Jones: There are always these benefits that are always incurred with the application of some of these different types of plastics. So. Yeah, so there we have no evidence on that one.

0:13:39 Wendlyn Jones: So, so, so PFAS or per, and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Okay. And it’s substances. So it’s. We’re not even talking one chemical compound, but we’re talking a whole magnitude of chemical compounds. They are synthetic. They’ve been used in various industries, largely for their water and grease resistant properties. Okay. That’s how they’ve been been used in the past and they play a really important role.

0:14:12 Wendlyn Jones: And, you know, ways that they could perhaps enter produce would be, you know, through some contaminated wastewater.

0:15:02 Wendlyn Jones: EPA has gone forward and designated certain PFAS as hazardous substances. But, you know, more relevant for this audience is perhaps the work that FDA did last year where it basically said, you know what? Manufacturers can no longer be selling pfas, grease proofing substances in the food packaging in the US and you know, you’ve got FDA making this declaration, which is great. Okay. But it actually is a case where industry before then was starting to do a voluntary market phase out. So this is where I think it’s important that folks realize this is with all of these contaminants, real or potential, this is where industry is responsible and is taking action almost preemptively before they’re being mandated to by government authorities. And I think that that’s, that that’s good because they too are consumers.

0:16:03 Wendlyn Jones: You know, I’m gonna say the use is dramatically reduced in the US around food packaging. Full stop. Okay. Is PFAS still used in some applications? I think it’s decreasing. Right. We would really need to dial in on the data perhaps around some nonstick cookware surfaces coming in from places other than the US Just as an example.

0:16:37 Vonnie Estes: Excellent. That’s really helpful. Sure. So another area I wanted to talk to you about is heavy metals. So they haven’t left the chat. What do we need to know about heavy metals like lead and arsenic and fresh produce? What’s naturally occurring, occurring and versus what’s human caused?

0:17:05 Wendlyn Jones: Naturally occurring is because these metals and these metalloids really exist in the earth’s crust.

0:17:23 Wendlyn Jones: And then there are the human causes where perhaps it’s some kind of pollution that’s going on Perhaps there’s some kind of other contamination where the heavy metals can get into the agricultural environment. Okay. You’ve got both those types of sources contributing to it. I really. And I’ll let you ask your next question, Vani. Because there’s so many different directions.

0:18:23 Wendlyn Jones: So, you know, I want to acknowledge our friends at the fda, right. And the Human Foods Program for the program that they’ve got going on around Closer to Zero, which is an initiative that the US has. And I think it needs to be especially recognized and valued because you notice, it’s not how do we get these heavy metals, which we already said are naturally occurring, how do we get them? How do we get it to zero? Right. It’s literally, how do we get closer to zero?

0:19:31 Wendlyn Jones: To work with epa, Right. To help ensure that these things, that the voice of the producer and the farmer are being heard by everyone, which I think is actually candidly the key to this, because no one wants to be exposed to all these chemicals. Make sense? No one wants that.

0:19:56 Vonnie Estes: Excellent. That’s helpful. So if you step into the issues of our members and think about, you know, what does all of these things we’ve talked about, if you’re a produce company and you’re hearing about the plastics and pfas and the heavy metals, what should you be doing? Is it a risk to the growers and what should they be doing to monitor and pay attention to what’s happening out there?

0:20:40 Wendlyn Jones: Whether I’m not necessarily even talking about the consumer at the end of the day, but even down your supply chain. Take time to highlight the efforts that you’re making, whether it’s around plastics or heavy metals. And gee, wait, if I peel this sweet potato extra, then I know I’m reducing any possible exposure to this toxic element. Take the time to educate and to explain and then perhaps most importantly, collaborate with other groups. Yeah, go ahead, Vonnie.

0:21:19 Wendlyn Jones: Yeah. So different. So some of this gets into. Different states have different laws in place.

0:22:06 Wendlyn Jones: Or your customer is somebody else going ahead and not being afraid to share that. Okay. And then, you know, collaborate with others is going to be the other component.

0:22:24 Wendlyn Jones: Make sure you collaborate with others.

0:22:41 Wendlyn Jones: It’s going to be that collaboration piece that I think helps everybody candidly stay ahead of the curve.

0:22:54 Vonnie Estes: That’s really helpful. Are there promising technologies or research efforts that maybe you’re doing or other organizations that are doing that could help detect, reduce or mitigate these different contaminants?

0:23:42 Wendlyn Jones: This is on some levels very foundational. But the entire intent is that we can get out, get out some common science that will help inform decision making by all so that, gee, wait, if I have a choice between what I plant this year versus next year, wait, maybe, maybe this is something I want to consider that way. So we’ve got work going on there and I’m also well aware that there’s work going on funded by, candidly funded by USDA on this topic.

0:24:13 Vonnie Estes: So final question.

0:24:15 Vonnie Estes: We live in some very fascinating times right now. There’s real science which is getting under attack in some circles, real policy and real anxiety for some of these issues. What’s your personal take on what’s happening in food and nutrition right now? And are we at some sort of tipping point?

0:24:49 Wendlyn Jones: I mean it is permeating everywhere. You don’t have to just be quote in the industry to be hearing about it these days. And that therefore is offering to all of us in the food and beverage ecosystem an opportunity to really step in and take some leadership.

0:25:17 Wendlyn Jones: It came off of a farm. Let’s take the opportunity to really engage more deeply with everyone, to elevate candidly the role of science and technology because the threats that exist around, whether it be. And let’s just go with heavy metals.

0:25:36 Wendlyn Jones: Let’s go ahead and embrace the opportunity that we’ve got technology solutions, we’ve got science based solutions that can actually move us forward. And that’s what actually keeps me very excited about these interesting times that we’re in, is at the end of the day, it’s going to be what happens in the lab. It’s going to be what the technologists come up with that really do help candidly make us healthier, help us move more towards wellness.

0:26:07 Vonnie Estes: Well, I think that’s a good place to stop. And thank you so much for your time and your insight. And that’s. I’ve. I can’t believe we covered all those topics in 25 minutes. But that’s really helpful, and I think it’s helpful for the listeners to understand where we are and when these topics come up, people kind of know now how to think about it instead of just jumping into, oh my gosh, there’s.

0:26:30 Vonnie Estes: So thank you for enlightening everybody. I appreciate it.

0:26:37 Intro Speaker: Thanks for tuning in to Fresh Takes on Tech, hosted by Vonnie Estes. If you enjoyed the conversation, please subscribe, rate and share it with your network. You can find more episodes and resources at freshproduce.com See you next time for another Fresh Take.